Awfully Wedded
by alosercanwin
Summary: Engaged to Draco Malfoy, what happens when Hermione Granger wakes up in the arms of Blaise Zabini with no memory of how she got there? The Imperius Curse makes you do the worst of things. Hermione is about to learn this whether she likes it or not. DM/H
1. Chapter 1

_Hello everybody new and old! If this is your first time reading this story then welcome to Awfully Wedded, but if it's not then welcome back!_

_For those of you who **are** reading this story for the first time, I have just a few things to say before you start to read._

_First things first: this story was originally not mine. It belongs to an amazing author by the name of xXxVicky-BxXx who, due to lack of time, wasn't able to continue on with this story any longer. Myself, along with all the other readers of the story, wanted to know what happened and wanted to read this story to the end. So... I simply messaged xXxVicky-BxXx and asked her if she would be okay with me taking on the story. She kindly agreed and I got started straight away. _

_Now, if you're thinking that because somebody different has taken over the story, that the story line is going to change and the ending won't be the same, then let me explain something to you. After agreeing to do the story and after getting the go-ahead from xXxVicky-BxXx, I sent her another message. In that message, I asked her if she wouldn't mind sending me the plot for each chapter along with beta-ing each chapters after I finished writing it so that'll way everything would stay the same and the only thing changing would be the author. So, for those of you out there who were worried about that, then you can rest assured. xXxVicky-BxXx has agreed to do just that, so you now know that every chapter is approved by the original author :). _

_One more final thing before you start to read this amazing story. The first nine chapters are not mine. They were written by the original author of this story and she deserves all the credit. I am also going to try and update a new chapter every other day so that'll way the new people have time to read and the old readers don't have to wait a while to read the new stuff. After chapter nine, things might start to slow down a bit with updates, but I'm going to try and keep them coming the best I can._

_Enjoy!_

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If someone had told Hermione Jean Granger thirteen years ago, when she was first starting Hogwarts, that by the time she was twenty-four she would be engaged to Draco Malfoy, then the eleven–year–old girl would have been highly affronted. Not only would the idea have been absurd for the Gryffindor, but – for Hermione Granger at that age – it would have also been an insult to her person and intelligence.

After all, she was Hermione Granger and to get mixed up with the likes of a Malfoy – and not just any Malfoy, but _Draco _Malfoy – would cause one to think that she was incredibly stupid. And everyone knew that Hermione Granger was anything _but_ stupid.

So how come, at the mere age of twenty-four, did she find herself in Draco Malfoy's bed, with his engagement ring on her left finger?

Well, according to her three best friends – Ron, Harry and Ginny – it was a simple case of her leaving her senses. Senses which had seemingly not returned – though she could care less about them, because if they were to return she would probably find herself in the arms of another man. This was something she didn't want happening because, even though Ron had a hard time of believing it, she was actually happy with the Ferret.

In a way, Hermione still couldn't believe that she and Draco were still together after three and half years. When her relationship with the proud Pureblood had started she had honestly believed it to be a simple fling; she had even told Ron – who had been furious at her for agreeing to date him – that they would probably be over in a month or two. Glancing down at her ring, Hermione doubted that month-or-two would _ever_ come.

"And I wouldn't have it any other way," Hermione whispered, smiling delicately, as she turned to face the sleeping man next to her. Hermione's grin widened even more so as she took in Draco's profile. Merlin, didn't he look innocent when he was sleeping.

_Shame he isn't like that all the time though_, she thought. Slowly, hoping not to disturb the slumbering Dragon, she lifted her free arm up – the other one was currently crushed under Draco's sleeping form – and gently brushed a strand of Draco's flaxen hair out of his eyes. For a second she thought she was successful in keeping him undisturbed, but was quickly proved wrong when Draco's eyes snapped open, and he snatched for her hand, and curled his fingers around her wrist.

Hermione, blushing as bright as Ron's hair, slowly let her eyes meet those of her fiancé before they trailed down to his lips. She flared as she saw he was smirking – _nothing new on that front then_ – but was quickly distracted as Draco drew her closer to his body; he was leaning in for the kill. Hermione sniffed in annoyance – she had lost their little game _again_ – and turned her head away so Draco's lips landed on her cheek.

"Good morning to you too," he chuckled, as he shifted his body slightly and freed Hermione's arm. "Seems like someone's woken up on the wrong side of bed this morning." Sitting up slightly, he looked around before raising an eyebrow. His smirk grew into an almost predatory smile. "In fact, by the looks of it, I think that both of us have."

Hermione, still glaring at her fiancé, felt her cheeks burn even darker. "Oh hush," she grumbled, hitting him lightly on the chest. All it did was cause Draco to laugh that bit more, and for Hermione to groan even louder. "For once, Draco, can't you just let me play with your hair for a bit? I'm sick and tired of you waking up, just after I've brushed it out of your face. Why can't you just let me win – you know pretend to be asleep?"

She felt Draco press a gentle kiss to her neck, grinning. "Where's the fun in that, Granger?" He whispered the rhetorical into her ear. "I can't let you win _all_ the time, can I?" He hovered over her, his forehead pressed against hers. "People will begin to think that Draco Malfoy has gone –" a curl of the mouth and nose, "– _soft_."

Hermione grinned up at him, a knowing look in her eyes. Draco's eyes narrowed slightly, and he growled at her to keep quiet. Hermione took no heed to his silent warning.

"But Draco, you've already gone soft," The man in question quickly snapped that he hadn't done anything of the kind. Hermione, ignoring him, continued. "You've been that way ever since we became friends – four years ago."

Draco scoffed at Hermione's statement and shook his head. "We were never friend's Granger," he stated. "We were just mere acquaintances who decided to skip the friendship stage and go onto the shagging part – falling in love on the way."

Once again Draco found himself rubbing his chest; at this rate the bruises would be permanent. "Oh do be quiet, Malfoy," Hermione said, smirking up at him. "You and I both know very well that we were friends before we started dating. When have _you_ known me to lie?"

"Fifth year," Draco said immediately. "When Umbridge was in charge of Hogwarts – you lied to her then."

Hermione huffed in annoyance. "Okay, that was one time – and nearly ten years ago." She smiled up at him. "I would like a more recent time, and _not_ something that happened in the nineties."

Hermione, thinking that she had caught Draco out, smiled triumphantly back at him. By the looks of it, she had just got her fiancé well and truly –

"When you and I first started dating," Draco interrupted her, grinning just like she. "You kept fibbing to Potter and Weasley about who your new boyfriend was; every time they asked you either changed the subject, or gave them some really random names." He let out a snort and muttered, "Atticus Finch" under his breath, before he chuckled even more.

Hermione's eyes narrowed dangerously. "It's not my fault that I said a character from 'To Kill a Mockingbird'," Hermione said, her cheeks growing pink yet again. "It was the first name that came to my head; after all, I was reading it at the time." She frowned even more. "How was I supposed to know that Ginny and Harry had both read the book? Neither of them are the reading type after all."

Draco, still laughing slightly, just shook his head before lifting himself off of Hermione and sitting up in their bed. He ran a hand through his mussed up hair – something that only _he_ was allowed to do, much to Hermione's annoyance – and yawned. Hermione's breath caught in her throat as he stretched and his back muscles rippled. If he didn't get out of her sight soon, then she would be very tempted to make last night's escapade look innocent.

As Hermione watched Draco enter the bathroom – a shower was in order first, as per usual with the Ferret – she found herself drifting back to the past and how she and Draco came to be. Even though Draco wouldn't admit it, it was true when Hermione had said that they had been friends with each other before they had become a couple. Sure, it had only been six months worth of friendship, but those six months were moments in time which Hermione would never regret. After all, it had been in this space of half a year that she had been able to see what Draco Malfoy was truly like.

Sure he had still been a git, but the malicious side of him had gone to be replaced by a more humorous one. Back then, when their friendship – sorry, _acquaintance_ – had first started he still had his little digs at her, though his tone told her that Draco meant no harm, and not once had he ever uttered the word 'Mudblood'. In the space of two years from their graduation to their meeting again, Hermione had learnt that Draco had done a lot of growing up.

Admittedly, Hermione had been sceptical of Draco at first, and incredibly unsure about his new-found nature for two reasons. Not only was Draco's Hogwarts behaviour to blame, but also the situations which surrounded the beginnings of their companionship too. She had just come out of a horrible ordeal concerning another Slytherin, so she had found it hard to get involved with another one so soon afterwards.

Despite the fact that she was happy when she and Draco became friends, the reason surrounding the beginning of their relationship was something that she'd rather not talk about. The same went for Draco too, due to the fact that he had suffered at the hands of the very same Slytherin.

Another reason that neither of them liked to talk or think about it, was all down to the fact that Hermione was a girl who looked to the future and rarely – if never – the past. Hermione found that if she looked to the past she would belittle herself and want to correct past mistakes – especially of the ones that concerned _him_ – which she was unable to do. However, as her fiancé had told her countless of times, if she were to look to the future Hermione was able to see all her hopes and dreams waiting for her. If she looked to the future, then she would be able to see her future with her friends, family and Draco.

Hermione's thoughts trailed off suddenly as Draco opened the bathroom door, steam billowing around him, and stepped out with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. Hermione gave him an appreciative look up and down – causing Draco to smirk, yet again – before hopping out of their bed herself, and entering the room that Draco had just emerged from. She turned round, blew her fiancé a kiss, and closed the door in his face.

"I'll see you when you're out of the shower then?" Draco hollered, as he dropped his towel and got ready for the day ahead. The last thing he heard, before Hermione turned on the shower, was his fiancé's tinkling laughter. Merlin, did he love than girl.

"So what are you planning to do today, then?" Draco asked forty minutes later, as Hermione sat down at the table across from him. A piece of toast lingered next to his mouth.

Hermione, who had just been reaching for a slice of toast herself, paused and looked up into the dark-grey eyes of her fiancé. At first she thought that his question suggested that he knew something, but one glance told her that Draco was just genuinely interested. Obviously she had been able to keep this secret hidden extremely well.

_Shall I tell him_? Hermione thought, as she began to spread marmalade over her toast. _Or shall I wait_? _I really don't want to get his hopes up_. Her indecisiveness had caused Hermione to forget to reply to Draco, who was now looking at her expectantly – and suspiciously.

"Hermione?" Draco called her name, and Hermione quickly snapped out of her thoughts. She looked up at Draco again. "What are you doing today?"

_I'll tell him once I find out for sure, myself_, Hermione finally decided to keep the (probable) news a surprise. "Oh nothing much," Hermione told him, with shrug. "I'll probably go and catch up with Ginny – I haven't seen her since she had James – and go shopping in London." She looked around their flat. "It's probably about time I added something of my own to this place; everything here currently belongs to you."

Draco, mouth full of buttered toast, merely nodded in agreement; there was no point disagreeing with Hermione when both of them knew her words to be true. "Sure," he finally said, after swallowing. He looked around their dining room, "I think it will do the house good if it had a woman's touch about it. It'll make the house look more homely; give off the message that a family's about to start off in here."

Whilst Draco continued on with his speech about what Hermione could possibly do about the house, the girl in question felt her cheeks grow warm. He had just said 'family' – whether he had meant it in an indicative way or not – which gave Hermione the hint that he wanted children – with her. A smile tugged at her lips, and Hermione almost gave in to the urge of telling Draco of where she was truly going today. However, due to the fact that it wasn't confirmed yet, she kept her excitement to herself. Draco could wait another couple of hours, couldn't he?

"So, what do you think?" Draco finally asked, sipping his Pumpkin juice. "Do you like the idea of painting the kitchen spring green?"

Hermione, who had not heard a word of what the Slytherin had just said, simply smiled and nodded her head. "It sounds wonderful, Dray," she told him. "I'll get on it straight away." Simultaneously the couple stood up, and began to tidy up the table; it had become a sort of ritual for them to do it at the same time.

Twenty minutes later, everything cleared up and put away, found Hermione and Draco standing outside their house, ready to go their separate ways. Draco was off to work, whilst Hermione was off to Ginny's – even though in reality she was off to Saint Mungo's. They were just saying goodbye to each other – _again_ – and making sure that all the wards were up.

"I'll see you about six, alright, love?" Draco murmured against Hermione's lips, who gave a distant murmur of consent. The girl in question was busily distracted by sorting out his crooked tie. "Do you want me to get something for dinner tonight, or do you want me to cook?"

Hermione shook her head on both suggestions, before returning Draco's kiss. "No, it's alright Draco, I'll cook. Everyone knows that I need to get my cooking skills up to scratch," Her eyes reached his. "Besides, I want to make tonight extremely special." Her tone, full of suggestions, told Draco all he needed to know.

"Right then," he drawled, tugging at his collar, causing it to loosen slightly. "I'll see you tonight." He gave one more lingering kiss on Hermione's lips – a kiss she replied readily to – before pulling away from her, and giving her a tight hug. Finally they parted and went their separate ways; Hermione went left, whilst Draco went right. The smiles on each half of the couple didn't slip from either of their faces as one left for a hospital, and the other work.

"Shame I'm about to wipe those grins off of them," a cold voice hissed, as a figure stepped out of the alleyway across from the house, and followed Hermione with his eyes until she rounded the corner. His lips curled into a sneer of unrighteous jealousy. "It's a shame that I'm not about to let her go this time," the figure continued to mutter to himself, as his eyes darted to Draco's walking figure. The blue eyes narrowed even more as they studied Malfoy's profile, and a sneer curled his lips. "She's mine, and mine alone, Malfoy, and she'll _never_ belong to you – especially when _I'm_ around. I lost her once, but I am _not_ about to loose her again."

After four years of scheming, Blaise Zabini was finally back. He was finally back and ready to take what – he believed – was _his_ and _his_ alone. Hermione Granger was going to rue the day that she didn't give him a second chance.

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_Review please :)_


	2. Chapter 2

_Hello everybody! Here's chapter two like I promised._

_Just wanted to say thanks to all those lovely people who reviewed last chapter:_

Avanell_: Happy you're liking it so far!  
_JenJen10143_: It's only going to get more interesting :)  
_Irmorena_: I'm glad you think is wonderful!  
_David Fishwick_: Heres an update and i'm happy that you're enjoying it.  
_soccersyd_: I hope you like this one just as much.  
_daisyatdusk_: Sooo happy you're loving it :)  
_mjmusiclover_: Lol I think we're all praying for that to happen.  
_Scabbers1957_: Although you're not a Dramione fan, I hope that this story will be able to get you into this pair becuase they really are amazing together :D_

_Thanks once again for your reviews and I hope you all enjoy chapter two just as much as you did the first!_

_

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Last Chapter: "Shame I'm about to wipe those grins off of them," a cold voice hissed, as a figure stepped out of the alleyway across from the house, and followed Hermione with his eyes until she rounded the corner. His lips curled into a sneer of unrighteous jealousy. "It's a shame that I'm not about to let her go this time," the figure continued to mutter to himself, as his eyes darted to Draco's walking figure. The blue eyes narrowed even more as they studied Malfoy's profile, and a sneer curled his lips. "She's mine, and mine alone, Malfoy, and she'll never belong to you – especially when I'm around. I lost her once, but I am not about to loose her again."_

_After four years of scheming, Blaise Zabini was finally back. He was finally back and ready to take what – he believed – was his and his alone. Hermione Granger was going to rue the day that she didn't give him a second chance._

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"Congratulations, Miss Granger," The Healer cried, as she bustled into the room Hermione was waiting in, a smile stretched across her face. "Your suspicions were indeed correct, and I am extremely happy to tell you that, in about eight months time, you and Mr Malfoy will be having a baby."

Even though she had been expecting it, Hermione still couldn't help but feel the tiniest bit shocked. After all, it wasn't everyday that _you_, personally, were told that you were expecting a baby.

As the news sunk in, Hermione's mind subconsciously travelled to the future where she saw her and Draco, eight months from now, hovering over a small bundle, wrapped in a yellow blanket. Her breath caught in her throat as she imagined the pure joy that would be etched across both of their faces, and her heart began to beat faster as she imagined Draco reaching down and pressing a small kiss to their baby's forehead.

She knew, without a doubt, that Draco would make a wonderful father.

"Pregnant…" Hermione finally uttered, her hand slowly resting over her flat stomach. A beatific smile adorned her face; now the realisation and happiness had dawned on the young witch, Hermione was glowing.

"Once again, I wish you my congratulations, Miss Granger," The Healer echoed as she wrote notes down on her clipboard, and Hermione got ready to leave the hospital. "I will owl you an appointment in the next day or two; it'll roughly be a month from now."

Hermione, still in a slightly daze, could only nod. She was still smiling. "Thank you so much for your time, Healer Ashton," she said, her senses slowly coming back, now that the initial shock was wearing off. She offered her hand to the Healer, who took it and gave it a brief shake. "I really appreciate it."

"It wasn't a problem, Miss Granger," Healer Ashton's mood was pleasant and friendly. Hermione was glad that she could call this woman her Healer. "The pleasure was all mine, dear." She showed Hermione to the door, and opened it for the younger witch. "Until next month then – and I do hope you bring that delicious fiancé of yours with you." She sent Hermione a wink, which caused the Gryffindor to laugh.

"Keep your hands off of him," Hermione joked, as she stepped out of the ward, and onto the main corridor. "First of all he's far too young for you, and secondly there is no chance in hell that I'll ever share him."

In return to Hermione's warning, Healer Ashton pretended to be affronted. "Very well, very well," she huffed, as she shooed Hermione down to the lifts, her eyes glowing with mirth. Hermione pressed the button, and the door opened. "I will be seeing you next month then, Miss Granger. Take care now – bye."

Hermione repeated the parting sentiment, entered the lift and pressed the button which would take her down to the ground floor. Now alone, Hermione was able to think more clearly than she had a minute ago when she had Healer Ashton – whose company she enjoyed very much – milling around her.

_I'm having a baby_, her mind cried, as Hermione felt herself beaming with happiness. _Draco and I are going to be parents_. She couldn't wait to tell him the news tonight.

The lift halted, and the doors opened to the ground floor of Saint Mungo's. Hermione was met by a flurry of activity; all around her there were people with extra body parts – though not necessarily human ones – and others who were breathing out odd things. There was a little girl – no older than four – who was currently breathing out flowers. Obviously someone had gotten hold of their parent's wand.

_Merlin forbid if that ever happens to our child_, Hermione thought as she saw a little boy smoking at the ears. _By the looks of it, Saint Mungo's have to deal with this sort of thing daily._ Her eyes scanned the crowd. _Honestly_, _must be about twelve children in here already, and it's not even eleven o'clock_. Hermione quickly left the building, and made her way onto the London Streets; no Muggle noticed her sudden appearance.

Hermione was soon lost in the crowd of Muggles, as she wondered aimlessly towards Diagon Alley. Once there, she had decided, she would apparate over to the Potter's and see how Ginny and James, their two month old son, were doing. Hermione couldn't wait to see her friend, and share the news of her pregnancy to the former Weasley. It felt right for Hermione to tell her best friend something like this – maybe it was because she had been the first to know when Ginny was expecting James – but it was also down to the fact that if she didn't tell anyone soon, Hermione knew that she would burst.

Draco could handle not being the first to know.

Ginny opened the door on the second ring, a sleeping James cradled in her arms. She whispered an almost inaudible "Hi," to Hermione, before beckoning her inside with a slight jerk of the head. Hermione, echoing Ginny's greeting, followed her friend inside and closed the door as quietly as possible; neither wanted to disturb James.

"Give me two minutes," Ginny hissed out, "I'm just going to put him in his cot." She made her way to the stairs. "Go into the living room and make yourself at home. I'll be down in second."

Hermione, knowing the house like it were the back of her hand, made her way into the Potter's lounge. It hadn't changed since she had seen it last, accept that there was a new photo on the mantelpiece above the fireplace. It was a picture she knew all to well, for she had been the one to take it the day that James had been born. The photo Harry and Ginny waved back at her in true Wizarding fashion, before their heads turned to the small bundle which was in Ginny's arms. Hermione's grin widened as she pictured a similar picture of Draco and she with their newborn child.

_I can't wait to be a Mum_, Hermione thought, as she rested her hand on her stomach for the millionth time that day. _And just think_, she continued, _you will be in just eight months time_. At this rate, Hermione's grin would be permanent.

"Sorry about that," Ginny cried as she bounded into the room, "I hope you didn't mind."

Hermione turned round and embraced her friend. "Not at all, Gin," she replied, as they broke free from each others grasps. "I understand completely." The two friends sat down on the couch.

"So, how have you been?" Ginny asked, once they were settled. "I haven't seen you in ages, Hermione, and so I know nothing of what has been going on. Merlin, I've been such a bad friend."

Hermione chuckled slightly. "It's quite alright, Ginny," She said. "You've just had a child, so you've been finding your feet and not been doing much else apart from that. If anyone's been the bad friend here, Ginny, it's me. I should've made the time to come over, whether I was busy or not." Hermione paused as she thought back to Ginny's first question. "And as for how I've been and how I am, I can tell you now I've never felt better."

"So the school rumours were true," Ginny gave a girlish giggle, something she hadn't done since her teenage years. "He really is that good."

Hermione's cheeks flushed red. "Ginny," she reprimanded, embarrassment evident from her face. "You are a married woman, and that is my fiancé you're talking about. Please, mind what you say."

"Oh come on Hermione," Ginny cried in delight. "You can trust me not to tell. Besides it's pretty obvious; you are practically glowing, which basically screams that you and Draco got up to quite a bit last night." Hermione was still beetroot.

"So how are Ron and Lavender?" Hermione asked, quickly changing the topic. "I haven't heard from him in awhile. Is the wedding still on for this August?"

"By Dumbledore's left sock, Draco really has kept you busy." Ginny gasped. "Hermione, Ron and Lavender broke it off just under a month ago; Lavender was cheating on him with Seamus Finnegan."

Hermione's face fell at this revelation, but she couldn't help but feel slightly glad that Ron and Lavender's relationship was over. Hermione had always felt that her best friend had deserved someone more than _Lavender Brown_.

"Oh Ginny," Hermione sighed, "If I had known –"

Ginny waved her off. "It's alright Hermione, Ron's already over it. He's been seeing this girl called Colette quite recently and, from what I can gather, she's perfect for him."

"Well that's great to know," Hermione said, though she still looked angry with herself. "But I still feel bad for not knowing –"

"Hermione," Ginny reprimanded, "Its okay. Ron's moved on from her – he's got Colette. Lavender Brown is nothing but a face of the past now. If he can forget about this, then so can you."

Hermione sighed, knowing that Ginny was right. "I'll try, Gin," She said, "but I'm not making any promises. If I happen to see Lavender Brown, I swear to God that I will –" Hermione broke off as a thought came to mind. "In fact, Ginny, if I happen to see Lavender Brown you must do everything in your power to stop me from attacking her."

Ginny who had been agreeing whole-heartedly over what Hermione was saying, looked at her friend sharply. "What do you mean?"

"Well, partly because Lavender Brown is not worth my time," Hermione answered, biting her lip slightly. "But it's also partly to do with my current condition."

"Current condition?" Ginny echoed Hermione's last two words, with a furrowed brown. Hermione could practically here the cogs turning in Ginny's head; Hermione's lip broke free from between her teeth, and the brunette allowed herself a grin.

A split second later – well, it was more like five minutes – Ginny's head jolted up, in realisation. "You're _pregnant_," Ginny squealed, as she wrapped Hermione tightly into a hug. "You and Draco are having a baby, and _I'm _going to be an Aunty! Oh, Hermione, Congratulations."

Hermione was finally released from the tight hug by Ginny, who was now bouncing with even more excitement than she was. In fact, Ginny was on the verge of tears.

"Have you told Draco yet?"

Hermione shook her head. "Not yet, no," she replied. "I wanted to tell you first. You know, return the favour. After all, I was the first to know about your pregnancy with James, so I felt it was only fair that you were the first to know about Baby Malfoy."

"Oh, Hermione, you didn't have to do that." Ginny exclaimed, her grin widening. "Though I do feel incredibly honoured." She quickly buried Hermione into another hug. For the rest of Hermione's visit, it was non-stop baby talk.

Three hours later, just as it was turning half past four, Hermione found herself on a familiar street. Any second now she would be home, and able to start cooking her and Draco's meal for tonight.

As she continued to walk down to the other end of where she and Draco lived, Hermione reminisced about her afternoon with Ginny and James. She thought about the laugher she and her friend had shared, as well as the inner peace that had come across her as she had felt James being placed in her arms.

"_That's going to be you and Draco in a couple of months_," Ginny had said, as she took in Hermione's expression. "_Merlin,_" Ginny had continued. "_I still can't believe that you and Malfoy are going to be parents_." All Hermione had done in response was nod her head in agreement to both of Ginny's statements.

All of a sudden, Hermione was broken out of her reverie as she realised that she was about to walk right past her house. Quickly, hoping that no one had noticed her minor mistake, she took a couple of steps back and drew her keys from her coat pocket. She had just slid the key into the lock when she felt a presence behind her. Hermione jumped slightly.

"Draco what have I told you –"

"Hello, Hermione," the voice behind her said.

Hermione froze, her whole body rigid, as the voice caused a disgusted shiver to run up her bones. Slowly, her Gryffindor courage shining through like the blazing sun, she straightened up and turned round. Brown frightened eyes clashed with ice blue.

"W-What are you doing here?" Hermione's heart was racing against her chest. "H-How did you f-find out where I – where _we_ – lived?"

The figure, which was of Blaise Zabini, didn't reply. Instead he raised his arm up, with wand in hand, until it was pointed directly at Hermione's chest. Instinctively, Hermione opened her mouth to shout for help. Yet, she never managed to get anything out.

Just as the first signs of a scream erupted from her mouth, a blue jet of light had shot out of Zabini's wand, and had caught Hermione in the chest. Hermione took one last look at the world she knew, before her mind went blank. Everything was about to change.

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_It is currently a winter wonderland here in New Jersey and I couldn't be happier! It's supposed to snow until Sunday afternoon and all the weather stations are calling for two feet of snow!!! So while I'm out having snow ball fights, sledding, and building snowmen (I'm thinking a Harry Potter themed snowman would be soooo cool), why don't you guys please review and let me know what you thought :D_

_Happy Saturday!_


	3. Chapter 3

_Hello everybody! Hope your past couple days have been good. Here's the next chapter of Awfully Wedded and I hope you like it :)_

_Thanks to those who reviewed last chapter:  
David Fishwick: me too :(  
ChelseaChastity: im really happy you like it  
deator11: it is a new take and i really hope you enjoy it  
WINtEr SuMmEr AuTuM SpRiNg: your name was hard to type lol but im happy you're enjoying the story  
mjmusiclover: yeah the imperius curse is never a good thing... is it?  
ilovefieryredheads: this part of the story was actually the part written by the other author but ill pass along what you said about her writing becuase it really is amazing.  
JenJen10143: lol i agree. fanfiction is VERY addictive  
Eva1983: glad to have you hooked :)_

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Last Chapter: Hermione froze, her whole body rigid, as the voice caused a disgusted shiver to run up her bones. Slowly, her Gryffindor courage shining through like the blazing sun, she straightened up and turned round. Brown frightened eyes clashed with ice blue.

_"W-What are you doing here?" Hermione's heart was racing against her chest. "H-How did you f-find out where I – where we – lived?"_

_The figure, which was of Blaise Zabini, didn't reply. Instead he raised his arm up, with wand in hand, until it was pointed directly at Hermione's chest. Instinctively, Hermione opened her mouth to shout for help. Yet, she never managed to get anything out._

_Just as the first signs of a scream erupted from her mouth, a blue jet of light had shot out of Zabini's wand, and had caught Hermione in the chest. Hermione took one last look at the world she knew, before her mind went blank. Everything was about to change._

* * *

"Draco, you need to calm down."

The pacing blond figure froze in his stride and turned round to face the red-headed woman, an angry sneer forming on his lips. "Calm down?" he spat, his grey eyes darkening with pent-up ire. "_Calm down?_ Ginny, I can't just _calm down _when my fiancé is missing! I just can't." Ginny sent the frustrated man a sympathetic gaze, showing that she understood (slightly) what he was going through, only to have Draco send her another dark look. "It's been three days, now – _three days_ – and no one has seen her. It's like – it's like she's disappeared off the face of this earth." His expression fell even more. "It's like – it's like she's running away from _me_."

Ginny continued to watch Draco blame himself, her face etched with worry. "She'll turn up, Draco," she consoled, though it didn't do much good. "I know she will; Hermione's not the sort of person to just run off like that." _Especially when she's pregnant – and happily so – with your child_.

Draco didn't seem to be listening. "What did I do, Ginny?" He cried, running a hand through his hair, mussing it up even more. "Did I say something to her that morning, without even realising it? Did I do something that she can never forgive me for?" Draco paused as his face dawned with a new thought, going paler than normal as it did. "Did she ever _love_ me?"

"Oh Draco," Ginny sighed. "You know Hermione loves you, and she would never leave you – unless you gave her good reason to, which you haven't. Besides, you know the Auror's believe that she was taken; every piece of evidence they've found screams that."

Draco hadn't been paying attention though, his mind plagued with only his thoughts, and leaving room for no others. He stepped closer to Harry's wife, and placed his hands on her shoulders. Ginny surmised that Draco was possibly hanging onto the last of his sanity. "You saw her that morning, didn't you?" The young woman jerked her head quickly. "Was she acting strange, then? Did she seem a bit… off with you? Did she _say _anything?" He released Ginny, and began to pace again.

Ginny shook her head 'no' for all three questions. "Draco, I can assure you now, Hermione was perfectly fine when we saw each other that day. In fact, she was glowing with happiness. All she could talk about was you and the –" Ginny stopped short, realising what she was about to say.

Draco, noticing how she had stopped short of finishing a sentence, spun round and gave her an accusatory glare. "Hermione couldn't stop speaking about me and _what_?" He sneered, as he tried to push down the bile which had slowly begun to rise up his throat.

"The – the – the plans for the Wedding," Ginny quickly said. She was unsure as to whether let Draco know about the baby or not, as it could easily make him feel even worse than he was feeling now. _Though_, Ginny thought, _I think anything could set him off at this moment in time_. _He's not in the right frame of mind at all_.

"I'll ask again, _Ginny_," Draco growled, a vein throbbing in his temple. "What was it that Hermione was talking about?"

"I already told you," Ginny said, her voice firmer and more believing this time. "Hermione was just talking about the plans for the Wedding. Your planning to hold it in – er – August, right?"

"Wrong," Draco's voice rang out. "Hermione has always wanted a June Wedding; we were – _are_ – planning to have the Wedding in late June." He raised a pale blond eyebrow in an expectant manner. "So, I will ask for the third – and _final_ – time. What was it that you and Hermione were talking about?"

Ginny shook her head firmly, telling Draco that she wasn't about to say. "I'm not allowed to say," she stated clearly. "It's not my thing to tell."

Draco didn't seem to think it that way. "Listen, _Mrs Potter_, if whatever you're hiding has something to do with Hermione's well-being then I suggest you tell me now. What if she's hurt when – and _if_ – we find her? If you don't tell me – tell _us_ – then, for all you know, Ginny, it could be a matter of life and death." His eyes grew lighter as another thought broke through, and his face took on a fractured look. His voice, when he spoke, came out in a hoarse whisper as he tried to hold back tears he didn't want to cry. "I can't bear the thought of loosing her, Gin. Please tell me what it is."

Knowing that Draco was right, Ginny decided to tell him. "Well, the thing is… Hermione's –" She began, unsure as to how to go about telling the Slytherin. "Draco the day Hermione came to see me, Hermione had been elsewhere already –"

"Yes, I know," Draco cut in. "She was going into to Muggle London to get some new furniture and ornaments for the flat."

"No," Ginny corrected, "Hermione didn't go there. She went somewhere else." Draco, who had just sat down and had buried his face into his hands, looked sharply at her. "Hermione is – Draco, what I'm trying to say is – well –"

Ginny didn't get to finish her sentence for at that moment the fireplace in Draco and Hermione's house burst to life, and out stepped two figures: Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley. From a quick glance at them both, Ginny immediately knew that they had found a lead; their faces were just as pale as Draco's.

"Harry, Ron," Ginny asked, her brown eyes full of worry. "What is it?"

Both Harry and Ron shook their heads before giving an almost unnoticeable look at the blond man, who was staring at them intently too. "Not right now, Gin," Ron finally uttered, his blue eyes glossy with unshed tears. "Even Harry and I can't understand why Hermione's done this, which certainly means that Malfoy won't be able to."

They came into the living room and sat down on the only sofa which wasn't occupied by anyone. Harry, resting his elbows on his knees, took his glasses off and rubbed at his eyes. It was then that Ginny noticed an important looking sheet of parchment in one of his hands She was about to speak up and ask what it was, when another voice rang into the living room.

"Potter, Weasley, what is that you've found?" Draco asked, not being able to bear the silence anymore. He wanted to know – and he wanted to know now. Harry and Ron looked at him in shock for a second, as they took in his broken state. They had never seen him looking so unkempt. "I don't think I could take it if anyone tries to hide anything else from me." Even though Harry and Ron missed it, Ginny saw him shoot a furtive glance at her before turning back to her husband and brother.

Harry cleared his throat, and began to explain what had happened. "We don't know much about it," He started, "but from what we do know it's not good news." Draco let out a choked noise. "About half an hour ago, just as Ron and I were considering to contact the Muggle Authorities – for all we know, Hermione might be in Muggle London somewhere –Hannah Abbott, who works in Wizarding Relations, came in with a rather… confusing piece of information." He paused, and unfolded the piece of parchment and read it silently, a furrow creasing up his brow. "Something which is to do with Hermione."

"She said," Ron continued, "that this had just landed on her desk for filing, and immediately she knew something was wrong. Even she, herself, recognize that the Hermione Granger she knew would never do something like this." Ron looked like he was about to be sick, and both Ginny and Draco could feel the growth of impending doom in the pit of their stomachs. "At first, we just thought it was a joke but after a quick analysis we were able to decipher that this – this document was indeed real."

Draco's heart rate was increasing as Harry and Ron continued to explain what had happened, and he wished that what they were saying was not true. Bile was rising in his throat as he processed everything that was said, though he wouldn't take it in. This had to be some sort of mistake.

_Hermione wouldn't do this to me_, his mind kept telling him. _I know she wouldn't_. _Hermione's not that sort of person_.

He was broken out of his reverie as a piece of paper – the document – was shoved under his nose. With shaking hands he took it, and began to read.

"We're sorry, Malfoy," Potter's voice echoed somewhere in the background. "If we had known we would have done everything in our power to stop it…"

What Harry was saying after that Draco didn't hear, because all he could focus on were the words written on the paper. His grey eyes widened, and his face took on a horrified expression. As if the parchment had burnt him, Draco released it and let it float to the floor with a strangled gasp.

For a split second – his heart stopped.

Draco felt his entire world fall apart.

"Something's not right about all this," Ginny said to Harry and Ron that evening after they had seen a destroyed Draco to bed, and had settled down in the lounge once again. "I can't put my wand on it, but what has happened just doesn't add up."

"You got that right," Ron spat out, his blue eyes hardening slightly. "The Hermione I know – well, _used_ to know – would have never done something like this."

"Exactly," Ginny continued, always the voice of reason. "And the Hermione we still know would have never done something like this; it's just not in her nature." She paused for her second, as she allowed herself a sip of tea. "Besides, she wouldn't do this to Draco; she loves him too much." Ginny swallowed, as she forced the next few words her of her mouth. "_And_ she's pregnant with his child."

Harry and Ron dropped their mugs of coffee, allowing the brown liquid spill onto the cream carpet, jaws unhinged. They hadn't expected Ginny to say something like that.

"Ginny," Harry began, once he got his senses back on track, and cleared the mess away with a flick of his wand. "Did you just say that Hermione's pregnant?" His wife nodded. "And _Malfoy_ is the father?" Ginny nodded again. Harry settled down for a second, as he processed this new information before he managed to grit out, "Then why the _hell_ is she not here then?"

"I think we all want to know that question, Harry," Ginny told her husband, her voice still calm. "And, if Hermione had the choice, I dare say she _would_ be here too."

"But what about the –" Ron began, before being silenced via a withering look from his sister.

"All you two are doing are thinking about what you know, and assuming that Hermione agreed to let this happen." she stated, her eyes blazing at how narrow-minded the two were being. "You two really need to start looking at the bigger picture. You're both Auror's for Merlin's sake! Isn't that part of your job?"

"Ginny," Ron cut in before the red-head could go off on one. "We're still trying to take this all in; we have a right to act like we are. Give us a break."

"I've been giving you a break _all_ day," Ginny hissed, running a hand through her hair. "A break which hasn't been returned. In my eyes, the only person who is allowed to be acting the way you two are is Draco. In the space of three days – nearly _four_ – his entire life has been ruined."

"Hey," Ron snapped back, "I resent that comment. Hermione was our friend long before she got engaged to Malfoy, so if _anyone_ is allowed to act the way that Ferret is, then it's us." Harry, much to Ginny's surprise (and relief) remained silent, and didn't agree with her brother's statement.

"I thought you were over all this 'Ferret' business," Ginny growled. "Obviously I was wrong. Merlin, Ron, you're still as immature as you were when you _were_ 14 years old."

"I'm sorry, Gin, but old habits die hard."

"Yes, well," Ginny pursed her lips, and licked them. "Whether 'old habits die hard' or not, you are going to do your damn best to be civil to Draco. He's got enough to with at this moment of time, and he doesn't need you to make it worse."

"It's alright, Ginny," a voice drawled from the doorway. "Personally I don't really care about whether your brother is civil to me or not. I've learnt to ignore him, when it becomes necessary." The trio of Gryffindor's spun round to see frazzled-looking Draco Malfoy standing in the doorway. "All I care about now is finding Hermione, and asking her why the _fuck _she is married to Blaise Zabini, when – and _if _– she's carrying my child."

* * *

The first thing Hermione noticed upon waking up was that she was not in her own home. The second thing which she was quick to register was that the pale arm wrapped around her waist did not belong to Draco. The third and final thing Hermione registered was that the arm belonged to a slumbering Blaise Zabini. What Hermione could not recollect though, was how she had gotten herself into this situation in the first place.

Slowly, her skin crawling with disgust as she felt Zabini's naked skin on her own, Hermione edged herself out from between the purple and black duvet. Once free of the silk confines, Hermione covered her naked self up as much as possible as she searched around the room for a gown to wrap her body in. She didn't want to be naked around Blaise Zabini – whether he was still sleeping or not – for any longer than she already had been.

As she ventured across the large room looking for a gown, Hermione was careful enough to not disturb the slumbering man – _arsehole_, Hermione thought – in case he were to do anything which would violate her person. She tried to push away the thought that he had done that already, but was unable to do so. Tears filled her eyes.

Not caring if he were to wake up, and hear her now – Hermione couldn't stand the thought of being in the same room as _him_ – Hermione quickly ran to the doorway, and opened it. She grabbed one of the dressing gowns that were hung on the doorway by a hook as she ran out, and quickly took a left, as the other way led her to a dead end. As she ran, Hermione shoved her arms into the dressing gown, and tied the ribbon around her waist.

She needed to get out of here – and fast.

Hermione froze in her running as a sense of nausea washed over her. Despite the fact that she wanted to get out of here, she needed to find a bathroom more. If she were to throw up in the middle of the hallway – not that she really cared – Hermione knew that her OCD would get the better of her, and she would force herself to clear it up. And with no wand by the time she would be finished, Blaise would definitely be awake. She couldn't risk being caught.

As if Merlin were looking down on her – _despite my situation_ – Hermione noticed that the bathroom was about five steps from where she had stopped. Hermione made it there in two, slammed the bathroom door shut, and locked it behind her. She quickly ran to the toilet, lifted up the lid and began to be sick. Her morning sickness had started.

Five minutes later, Hermione had stopped throwing up and was now trying to relax. She had wrapped her hands around the toilet seats rim to stop her falling from the floor, and her head rested against the cool porcelain, calming down her feverish skin. Hermione hoped that she wasn't about to be sick again, though the lump in her throat told her different, and she slowly staggered to her feet, her knees nearly buckling underneath her as she found it hard to stand.

While Hermione was standing up, though, a flash of gold from her left hand caught her eye. It was unfamiliar to her because the engagement ring she was used to from Draco was silver. As a new feeling started to bubble up in her being, Hermione slowly raised her hand to get a closer look. She silently hoped that the colouring was due to the light. As soon as she saw it, however, Hermione knew that her prayers had not been answered.

With one look at the simple gold Wedding band on her finger, Hermione felt her world fall apart. Somehow – and she didn't know how – her and Blaise Zabini were married.

Hermione screamed.


	4. Chapter 4

_Hello everyone!_

_Thanks to those who reviewed last chapter:  
Avanell: thanks for the review.  
JenJen10143: thanks!  
daisyatdusk: im happy you liked it  
David Fishwick: lol yeah i know its addictive becuase when i was reading it before i got permission to take over the story, i couldn't stop reading it and waiting for the next update :). thanks for the review!  
mjmusiclover: i prefer her with draco as well lol  
Scabbers1957: lol a very little hole so draco has a hard time finding him becuase yes... draco will be pissed. __

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Last Chapter: Five minutes later, Hermione had stopped throwing up and was now trying to relax. She had wrapped her hands around the toilet seats rim to stop her falling from the floor, and her head rested against the cool porcelain, calming down her feverish skin. Hermione hoped that she wasn't about to be sick again, though the lump in her throat told her different, and she slowly staggered to her feet, her knees nearly buckling underneath her as she found it hard to stand._

_While Hermione was standing up, though, a flash of gold from her left hand caught her eye. It was unfamiliar to her because the engagement ring she was used to from Draco was silver. As a new feeling started to bubble up in her being, Hermione slowly raised her hand to get a closer look. She silently hoped that the colouring was due to the light. As soon as she saw it, however, Hermione knew that her prayers had not been answered._

_With one look at the simple gold Wedding band on her finger, Hermione felt her world fall apart. Somehow – and she didn't know how – her and Blaise Zabini were married._

_Hermione screamed._

* * *

"You sure as hell know how to wake up the dead, don't you?" Blaise drawled the minute Hermione stepped out of the bathroom, and into the hallway. He was leaning on the stairs banister, arms crossed, an eyebrow raised up, and a smirk etched on his face. Despite his calm out take on things, Hermione could feel his anger pulsing off of him in waves. "Screaming like a banshee is not a good thing to do when you're trying to escape, is it?"

Hermione still hadn't said anything; she was too busy seething with anger at the man before her. "How _dare_ you!" Hermione finally gritted out, her fists curling. "What gave you the right to do this? Why the hell couldn't you just leave me – _leave us_ – alone?"

Blaise gave a deep chuckle, and shrugged. "You didn't give me a second chance, Hermione," he said as if it were as simple as that. "A second chance was all I asked for, but all you did was run into the arms of my former best friend." He made a step towards her.

Hermione's eyes narrowed. "You've got no one to blame but yourself on that front, Zabini," She snarled, taking a step back at his advance. "If you hadn't gone and –"

"_That _is quite enough," Blaise hissed, cutting Hermione short. "I will _not_ have my _wife_ speak to me in such a manner."

"Your wife?" Hermione's voice rose another octave. "_Your wife_! I am no more your wife than I'll ever be Severus Snape's other half!" She lifted her left hand. "This ring means _nothing_ to me. As far as _I'm_ concerned I am still engaged to Draco Malfoy, and I am definitely _not_ your wife!"

Blaise flashed a dark grin, making Hermione's anger boil even more. "I think our Wedding Certificate begs to differ," He drew his wand out, waved it in a big flourish, and a tied up scroll appeared in the air. With another tap of his wand the scroll unrolled and Blaise, with a clearing of his throat, began to read. "The Ministry of Magic hereby declare the marriage of Blaise Fabrizio Laurent Zabini and Hermione Jean Granger, on Tuesday the 14th October 2003. Witnessed by Mrs Eugenie Alezae Zabini, Mother of the Groom, Miss Pansy Olivia Parkinson, best friend of the Bride –" here he paused and smirked at Hermione, "– and Mr Theodore William Nott, best friend of the Groom." Blaise stopped at that to take in Hermione's reaction so far. His blue eyes glistened with sick pleasure as he took in her distraught profile.

The Gryffindor in question was seething with anger and humiliation; she had never felt more ashamed of herself. How could she have just let this happen? Tears freely rolled down her cheeks, and her lip, which was being worried by her teeth, trembled due to a held-back sob. Blaise cleared his throat and began to read again.

"Bound by blood and magic there is no chance of separation, which was understood by both parties before the ceremony began. With no further ado, the Ministry of Magic, on behalf of the Wizarding World, would like to Congratulate Mr and Mrs Zabini, and wish them all the happiness in the upcoming years." Blaise finished reading from the scroll, rolled it up again and, before Hermione could get her hands on it, vanished it into thin air. After the deed was done, he shot Hermione a triumphant look. "So, _Mrs_ _Zabini_, if that doesn't make you _my_ wife, then what does?"

"I _hate_ you," Hermione choked out, as she tried to relieve her body from the shock. "I absolutely _hate_ you!" The words bubbled out in a hoarse scream. "You've ruined my life, you've ruined Draco's life and – the worst of it all – is that you've ruined my child's life! In all of this all you have –" Hermione, with a gasp, clasped her hands to her mouth as soon as realised what she had just told Zabini. She hadn't wanted to tell him about the pregnancy unless he tried to kill the baby, or tried to use the child to his advantage.

Blaise let out a deep cackle. "This is too good to be true," he sneered, fingering his wand delicately. His laughter became louder, and Hermione felt all the hairs on the nape of her neck stand up; a shiver went up and down her spine. Disgust was in every cell of her body. "This is all too good to be true! Oh Merlin, now not only will Malfoy have no fiancé, but now he'll also have no child. This, my dear _wife_, is my lucky day. Voldemort must really be looking down on me." Slowly he began to raise his wand.

Hermione, seeing where Blaise's wand was going, quickly shot into action. She was not about to let Zabini do anything to her _or_ the baby. "H-how did you get the Ministry of Magic to marry us?" Blaise paused at Hermione's question. "I mean, shouldn't they have been able to tell whether it was forced or not?"

As she continued to talk Hermione began to walk around, so as to get to the stairs. Blaise, who seemed to be entranced by Hermione's question, followed her footsteps, causing the Gryffindor to allow herself a silent leap of triumph; the plan she had quickly formed in her mind was working.

"After all, I remember reading that the Binding Spell used in Weddings can detect when either the Bride or Groom are being forced into a marriage. So how come that didn't happen with me? It is quite obvious to me that the Imperius Curse was used somewhere in all this."

Hermione was near the stairs now, and Blaise was the other side of the landing; either he was acting dumb to what Hermione was doing, or he truly was stupid. Hermione, even though she hoped it was the latter, knew that Blaise was just toying with her. She had known him too long to not know what he was truly like.

"That would be telling now, wouldn't it," Blaise smirked. "Honestly, Hermione, did you not think that I hadn't planned all this down to the last detail. Admittedly, most of it was my Mother's idea – hates to see her son unhappy, you know – but I was the one who executed everything down to the last second. I was the one who made sure nothing could go wrong."

Hermione's feet met the edge of the top stair; her eyes quickly flicked to the ebony table which was situated next to the banister, and the Ming Vase which was placed on top. The next part of her plan came to mind.

"Okay, so that explains your Mother's involvement in it," Hermione said, grasping at straws. "But what about Nott and Parkinson? How come they're involved?"

"It's simple," Blaise told her, his wand raising up once again. "Nott had never forgiven Malfoy for killing his father during the Final Battle, and Pansy wanted revenge on you for stealing Draco from her. We were killing two birds with one stone."

Hermione couldn't help it – she snorted. "Just like you loosing me via your own stupidity, Pansy has got no one to blame save for herself on loosing Draco too." She moved down onto the step below. "You say you did this for revenge, when in actual fact you did this for your own selfishness." Blaise's face had turned deadly. "And don't deny it, Zabini, when you know it's the truth. How _pathetic_ can you get?"

Blaise, having enough of Hermione's (truthful) words, raised his wand in a slashing motion. "_Luguolo Parvulus_!" He cried, and a dark purple jet of light shot out from the magical stick.

As soon as Blaise had started to utter the Abortion Curse, Hermione had grabbed the Ming Vase and, with all her might, chucked it at him. The spell shattered the china, and shards of it rained down on the dark Wizard. As his cries of pain filled the air, Hermione dashed down the stairs.

"Come back here you filthy little Mudblood!" She heard Blaise roar, as Hermione reached the bottom of the stairs. She moved just as another spell was shot in her direction.

Hermione tore through the large house, not even daring to stop to catch breath, her eyes frantic. She needed a fireplace – she needed to get out of _here_! She opened door after door, not coming across a heated hearth once. As her breaths became shorter, she heard footsteps coming closer; Hermione knew that Blaise was close on her tail.

_Merlin, please let me and my child get out of here safe_, Hermione prayed, as she entered another room. _Please may we both survive._

Hermione stopped immediately as she took note of the fireplace, glowing orange with flames, and ran towards it. Obviously, Merlin – or some God-like entity – was looking down at her, and answering her pleas for help and safety. She quickly grabbed a handful of Floo Powder and chucked it into the roaring fire; the flames turned to an acid green.

"You are not going _anywhere_, Granger!" Blaise screamed, as he entered the room and shot another Abortion Curse at her. Hermione, who had just cried her destination, clutched at her stomach as the spell hit. Seconds later, just before Blaise could grab her, she disappeared, pain pulsing through her body.

As quickly as Hermione had vanished, she burst through another fireplace and into the familiar carpet of her and Draco's living room. She was still clutching at her stomach.

"Hermione?" A voiced gasped out, as she saw someone's feet come into view. "Is that you?" Slowly Hermione lifted her head, and nodded.

Pained brown eyes met stunned grey.

"Draco, please," Hermione gasped out, tears streaming down her face. "I _need_ to get to Saint Mungo's. You _have _to take me there!"

Draco remained where he was still in shock at Hermione's sudden appearance. He hadn't expected to see her again for a very long time.

"What do you mean?" He asked, his voice as hoarse as hers.

"Z-Zabini has just placed the Abortion Curse on me," She cried out, as she tried to fight the spell in her body despite it being no use. Tears were coursing down her cheeks. "If we don't get there soon, I'm going to loose the baby." Draco paled, and immediately went to her side. "I'm going to loose _our_ child!"

* * *

_Zabini is such an ass, isn't he? _

_Well thanks again to those who reviewed last chapter.. Please please please remember to review guys! I feel like theres so many more people out there reading this story that just aren't reviewing and it's making me think that im updating too quickly._

_On the brighter side... Happy Christmas to those who celebrate it!_

_You know what a wonderful christmas present to me would be....? a bunch of reviews! :D_


	5. Chapter 5

_Hello everybody!_

_Happy christmas to those who celebrate it!_

_Now, I know i just updated yesterday, but I decided this morning I wanted to give all my loyal readers and reviewers a christmas present. Seeing as the only thing I could possibly give you is an update, i decided to do just that :)_

_Thanks to those who reviewed:  
_Avanell_: it is epic isnt it lol  
_David Fishwick_: yes well Nott and Parkinson arent nice people in general  
_le temps d'un automne_: in all the other stories i write, i usualy make blaise nice, so its hard for me to see him as being mean as well. but seeing as i wasnt the one who started this story or came up with the plot, i have to work with it lol  
_kidio112_: im happy you liked it  
_Eva1983_: lol yeah they really are  
_ilovefireyredheads_: im really happy you think its wonderful and merry christmas to you as well :)  
_TNgirl_: lol ill curse him instead  
_cullen's pet_: yeah i just couldn't see it going unfinished._

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"You are not going _anywhere_, Granger!" Blaise screamed, as he entered the room and shot another Abortion Curse at her. Hermione, who had just cried her destination, clutched at her stomach as the spell hit. Seconds later, just before Blaise could grab her, she disappeared, pain pulsing through her body.

As quickly as Hermione had vanished, she burst through another fireplace and into the familiar carpet of her and Draco's living room. She was still clutching at her stomach.

"Hermione?" A voiced gasped out, as she saw someone's feet come into view. "Is that you?" Slowly Hermione lifted her head, and nodded.

Pained brown eyes met stunned grey.

"Draco, please," Hermione gasped out, tears streaming down her face. "I _need_ to get to Saint Mungo's. You _have _to take me there!"

Draco remained where he was still in shock at Hermione's sudden appearance. He hadn't expected to see her again for a very long time.

"What do you mean?" He asked, his voice as hoarse as hers.

"Z-Zabini has just placed the Abortion Curse on me," She cried out, as she tried to fight the spell in her body despite it being no use. Tears were coursing down her cheeks. "If we don't get there soon, I'm going to loose the baby." Draco paled, and immediately went to her side. "I'm going to loose _our_ child!"

Five

Three hours later, when Draco was on the verge of storming into the hospital room himself, Healer Ashton finally emerged, her face sombre and chalk white. For a few seconds the Healer and Draco stared at one another – Draco already dreading the worst – before the elder woman beckoned Draco to take a seat. Slowly walking back, his entire body trembling with trepidation, the Slytherin obliged the Healer's silent plea.

"H-how is she?" Draco finally choked out, rubbing his sweaty palms on his trouser legs. "Is H-Hermione going to be okay? W-what about the – the b-baby? T-they're both going to be alright, aren't they?" The questions came out in a breathy rush, words tumbling over the other, which caused the queries to make no sense.

Healer Ashton, obviously used to this sort of reaction from friends and family of the patients, understood Draco's questions perfectly though. "Mr Malfoy," she began, her voice just as unsteady as his, "first of all let me assure you that Miss Granger is in a perfectly stable condition. We've given her a mild Calming Draught, and she is currently resting. We have been able to stop the internal bleeding." Draco looked at her with a curious expression, which caused Healer Ashton to explain more. "In case you are not aware of this, Sir, but not only does the Abortion Curse set out to kill the baby, it also sets out to cause great harm to its Mother as well. It is part of the – er – punishment."

"Punishment?" Draco echoed, his voice as hollow as he felt. "What do you mean?"

"The Abortion Curse, as I think you are aware, was used between the Fourteenth and Nineteenth Century to all women who found themselves with child out of wedlock, or with child from a man who was not their husband. Part of the curse was to cause the Mother pain for her infidelity or her sleeping around." The Healer paused for a second, and gathered herself. "Depending on the strength or anger of the Wizard – sometimes both – the punishment given to the Witch would be most severe; this is what happened in Miss Granger's case."

Draco paled even more. "She is going to be alright though, isn't she?" He ran a frustrated hand through blond locks. "And the baby?"

"I can assure you now, Mr Malfoy, that Miss Granger will be perfectly fine. We've stopped the bleeding, as I said before, and we are now giving her time to rest. Don't worry, Mr Malfoy, you will see your fiancé soon." She gave Draco a tight smile, before her face growing even more sombre than before. "The baby, on the other hand, is a different matter."

Draco began to shake his head in denial. "No," he muttered, begging the Healer to tell him something different. "It can't be dead; it just can't be." Draco, his face white with despair, started to get up and pace along the hallway, mumbling that the baby – _his_ baby – wasn't dead.

"Mr Malfoy, please, if you would just let me explain –"

"NO!" Draco screamed, as he smashed both his fists into the wall. "I will not listen to you! I am not about to let you tell me that my child is dead!" The pounding of skin on brick continued, and soon blood was dribbling out of his knuckles. Healer Ashton, silenced by Draco's reaction, watched aghast.

"Mr Malfoy, you need to listen to me," Healer Ashton finally got out, as she approached the grieving man. "If you do then I'll be able to tell you exactly what has happened to the child."

"What's the point," Draco gasped out, voice dry and hoarse, as he stopped hitting the wall and rested his forehead against it. "All you're going to tell me is what I've already guessed." The blond man broke out into dry sobs.

Healer Ashton, thinking it better for him to sit down before she explained everything, placed a comforting arm round the man's shoulders and directed Draco back to his chair. Taking both hands in hers, and drawing her wand to heal his bleeding knuckles, Healer Ashton prepared to tell him the news.

"The baby is not dead, Mr Malfoy," she told him, her voice soothing and calm. "It's age has just changed, that is all." Draco's head snapped up so quickly that the sound of bone rubbing against cartilage could be heard along the corridor. "Another element of the abortion curse, that you obviously weren't aware of, is that the child does not die immediately. Depending on how far along a woman is when it's cast, it can take up to a matter of hours or days for the child to die."

"So the baby isn't dead?" Draco asked, his voice holding a touch of hope. "The baby's going to be alright."

The Healer nodded. "It could possibly be touch and go – like all cases where the Abortion Curse is involved – but, considering you got Miss Granger here immediately, then the chances of the child now growing to full term is a little over eighty percent." She cleared her throat. "However, three weeks of the baby's original age has been taken away due to the curse, therefore it is now in the shape of a two week old foetus."

Draco, though slightly worried about the new age of the baby, wiped his face, and let out a big sigh of relief. He would be forever grateful to whatever God-like entity there was out there, as well as the Healer's of Saint Mungo's. If it hadn't been for them then Hermione and the baby would not be here.

"Does Hermione know of this yet?" Draco asked, as he looked towards the door which Hermione was through. Even though he was pretty sure that Hermione would be relieved that the baby was still alive and kicking (pardon the pun), he also knew that she would be crushed at how close she had been to loosing the child.

"Miss Granger is aware that the child is still alive," Healer Ashton admitted. "However, she still doesn't know about the age change in the child; we wish for her to be in a much calmer disposition before we let her in on that piece of information. It might cause her a fair amount of stress which, if we're not careful, might do her and the baby more harm than good." She gave Draco a pointed look. "When you go inside please do not tell Miss Granger unless we say otherwise."

Draco gave a pointed look towards Healer Ashton himself. "I will tell her what I see fit," Draco stated, his voice holding a dangerous edge. "I understand that we do not wish to cause Hermione stress, but I also feel that she has a right to know – immediately. If this was you in there, wouldn't you wish to know immediately what the problems were?"

"Mr Malfoy, I understand entirely where you are coming from but –"

"Can I go and see her?" Draco interrupted, already making his way to the door. "After all, I haven't seen her since she went missing four days ago. Her arriving the way she did this morning into our home, as well, left little room for talk. The minute I saw the condition she was in I brought her straight here."

Healer Ashton, her heart going out to the young Malfoy, gave a brief nod. "Of course you can, Mr Malfoy; go straight through." Healer Ashton said with a small smile. Draco started to push the door open. "What shall I do if any visitors arrive though?" The Healer called quickly.

Draco gave her a brief look. "Ask them for their names and then come and see me," Draco said. "I'm not about to just let _anyone_ come into this room."

With a quick nod of understanding Healer Ashton bustled down to the other end of the Ward, whilst Draco entered Hermione's room. In three quick strides he was by her side, his hand tightly wrapped around hers. Hermione opened her eyes slowly, took in who it was, smiled and gave his wrist a weak squeeze.

"Hey," She whispered, as Draco pressed a chaste kiss to her forehead. "Long time no see, don't you think?"

Draco gave her a tight smile, but didn't laugh. "How are you feeling?" He asked instead.

"Tired," Hermione said, forcing back a yawn. "Happy to see you again, angry, worried, sad – you know the normal emotions you feel after you've experienced something like this – but mostly I'm relieved." A small tear leaked from her eye and made its way down her cheek; with his free hand Draco wiped it away. A small sob came from Hermione's throat. "I thought I was going to loose the baby," she managed to get out, her voice choking up. "When I woke up, and I saw the Healer's faces, I thought that Zabini's curse had succeeded; I thought I'd lost our child." Her body broke out into wracking sobs, and her grip on Draco's hand tightened as she tried to seek comfort.

The young Malfoy immediately tried to calm her. "It's alright, Hermione," he cooed, as he brushed away strands of hair from her sweaty face. "Everything's fine. Zabini can't hurt you in here – and _especially _when I'm around." _He's done that enough to both of us already, and I'm not about to let that happen anymore_.

Slowly the sobbing subsided, into breathy whimpers. "I'm so sorry," Hermione mumbled out, her brown eyes glistening with guilt as they stared at the wedding band which had replaced her engagement ring. "I am _so_ sorry, Dray."

Draco, his face impassive, continued to stare at Hermione's left hand. Whilst he knew that Hermione hadn't wanted to marry Blaise – that much was obvious now – there was still a part of him which made him feel angry towards the brunette Witch. She didn't deserve his anger, Draco knew that, but he couldn't help but feel some resentment. After all, he was supposed to have been the one married to her and, therefore, the only one to see her naked as they made love to one another. Draco closed his eyes at the thought of Zabini touching Hermione; his former best friend would surely pay for violating _his_ fiancés body.

"Draco?" Hermione's voice, still weak and fragile, broke through the barrier of his thoughts. "Are you alright?"

Draco gave a slight nod. "What happened, Hermione?" Draco found himself asking. "I'm sorry if this distresses you, but I _need_ to know." He let out an aggravated groan. "Damn it, Love, how the hell did this happen? How could you have let this happen?"

Hermione, who had been preparing herself for this question, felt her breath catch in her throat; she obviously hadn't been prepared enough. For a few seconds grey eyes stared into brown orbs, but then Hermione looked away, thus breaking the connection, shame and anger covering every inch of her face.

"I'm not too keen on the details," She explained, as she lifted herself up into a seating position with Draco's aid. "But from what I can gather Blaise Zabini, along with his Mother, Parkinson and Theodore Nott, found a way for the two of us to get married, via the Ministry of Magic, without the spell, which is used to bind a Witch and a Wizard together in Holy Matrimony, detecting any foul-play." She swallowed, and a few more tears rolled from her eyes. "My guess is that the Imperius Curse had something to do with it all, but I'm not entirely sure."

"That means you can get the Marriage annulled, right?" Draco asked, hope evident in his voice. "After all, the Imperius Curse is an Unforgivable and not allowed to be used unless the Wizard or Witch who uses it wishes to end up in Azkaban." He took one look at his fiancés face, and knew that it wasn't going to be as simple as that. His hope, as quickly as it appeared, vanished.

"According to Blaise, Draco, there is nothing that I can do," Her hand covered her mouth, forcing down a sob. "According to him, Dray, I've now got to stay a Zabini all my life, whether I want to or not. As the spell obviously found me willing – even though I was _anything_ but – there is no way that Zabini and I can ever separate."

"No," Draco's reaction to this news was similar as to how he reacted when he had assumed the baby to be dead. "I'm not going to allow that." He released Hermione's hand, and began to walk around the room. "I swear to you now, Hermione, I am going to find a way for us to be together; for us to become Husband and Wife. I am not about to let that – that sick _fuck_ take away the most important person – _people_ – in my life. Whether it takes weeks, months or even years, I swear to you on my Father's grave, that one day we will be married."

"But Draco, how are you possibly going to do that? If what Zabini said was true – about there being no way out of this – then that means there will never be a way for us to be together, as Man and Wife." Hermione, tears streaming down her face, watched the angry man before her, worry in her eyes. Considering the mood he was in, Hermione knew that Draco would easily be capable of making a rash decision.

A decision that would end up with him in Azkaban.

"I'll kill him if I have to," Draco said running his hands through his hair. "I'll bloody murder the bastard if that is what it takes." He allowed himself a brief glance at Hermione. "I'm sorry, Love, but if you think that I'm just going to sit back here and –"

Draco did a double take of Hermione, who was a complete mess, and was by her side in an instant. He brought her into a hug, where she clung to him with as much strength as she could muster, and peppered her forehead with kisses. He needed to get her to calm down - and fast – so as to not cause anymore complications.

"We'll get through this, Hermione," he muttered, as he brought his lips down to her cheek. "You, the baby and I will get through this; I'm not about to let Zabini ruin anything for me - especially you." Draco felt slightly ashamed as he realised he was crying too. "Once the Ministry realise what he's done to you, they'll try and find a way to get the marriage void; even they won't be able to stand by and do nothing. I promise you –"

"_Draco_," Hermione interrupted, her voice rising above his. "Can we _please_ not talk about him at the moment. We've just been reunited, but all you can talk about is this ridiculous marriage and Zabini." She pulled back and looked up into his eyes. "Look, can't we just sit here – in silence? Can't you just hold me?"

"Merlin, I'm sorry Hermione," Draco apologised, as he slid onto the bed and wrapped Hermione tightly in his arms. "I didn't think –" Hermione silenced him with a kiss, to which he greedily responded. Some minutes later they pulled apart, breathless.

"For the love of Salazar, Hermione," Draco crowed his eyes glistening with amusement, "when was the last time you brushed your teeth?"

Hermione jabbed Draco in the stomach, sending him a mock glare. "The last time I brushed them was four days ago." Whilst she had said it in a joking manner, Draco also knew what she was getting at; he dropped the subject immediately, and both fell into a companionable silence.

Ten minutes later, Draco broke the silence. "Hermione," he began, dragging her name slightly, "there's something that you need to know." Hermione, who had stiffened at the tone of voice, looked up at Draco with a weary expression. "It's about the baby –"

"What about the baby?"

"Zabini did manage to harm the child," He explained hesitantly, tightening his embrace around Hermione, who was trembling. "He managed to take three weeks off of its life."

Hermione looked at him, eyes glistening, her face a picture of shock, anger and worry. "Wh-What do you mean?" She was near hysterics. "The Healer said that the baby was alright; that it was still alive. Did they _lie_ to me?"

Draco shook his head. "No, they didn't lie to you, Hermione, don't worry," he said, as he tried to calm her down. "They just didn't want you to the full extent of the – er – damage, until they knew you were in a stable condition."

"So why are _you_ telling me then?" Hermione asked.

"Because I feel that you have a right to know about what Zabini did to the baby. I feel that you need to know how close we came to loosing our child." Draco told her. "It's nothing dreadfully serious, but it's still a cause for concern."

"Draco you're not making any sense," Hermione was desperately trying to stay calm. "Just tell me, please, and stop going around the houses."

"Fine," Draco said. "Basically, the baby isn't five weeks anymore – it's only two. The curse managed to take away three weeks of the baby's life before the Healers were able to stop it."

"Okay, I get that," Hermione cried, "but what are you trying to say here? Are you saying that there is a small chance of the baby dying?"

"Well, there is a slightly chance of that happening, but instead of the baby now being born in late June, it's probably going to be born in early July." Hermione gave a sigh of relief.

"Draco you got me worried there for a second," Hermione said. "I thought you were about to say that there is a possibility of the baby not making it."

"I don't think you understand what I'm saying here, Granger," Draco replied. "If you hadn't arrived back to our house when you had, and if I hadn't found you, neither of you would be here right this minute. Or, at the very least, Zabini would've been able to kill the baby." Draco couldn't get the thought of Hermione dying out of his head.

Hermione, finally realising what her fiancé was getting, felt her face soften slightly. "But neither of us did, Draco," she consoled, curling her body around his even more. "Both the baby and I survived." She took his hand, and placed it over her flat stomach. "We're still here. Sure, the Curse took three weeks off of the child's life but, even though it's a scary thought that we came close to loosing the baby, that doesn't matter. The baby still survived _and_ we're together again."

"You always know how to say the right things, don't you, Love?" Draco said, giving Hermione a small smile. "You always know how to make things look brighter in this world."

Hermione, her face now glowing with some colour, winked at Draco. "It's a magical talent of mine," She joked. For the first time both of them laughed and let the relaxing silencing embrace them. They were just happy to be with each other once again.

Another twenty minutes went by before there came a knock on the door, and Healer Ashton stepped in. "Sorry to disturb," she whispered, trying to not upset the peaceful atmosphere in the room. "But you've got some visitors."

Both Hermione and Draco wriggled themselves up to a sitting position. "Who are these people?" Draco immediately asked.

Healer Ashton looked down at the clipboard, and began to read off the names. "Well, there is the Potter Family, a Mr Ronald Weasley and his girlfriend, Colette Washington, and a Mrs Narcissa Malfoy as well."

Draco sent the Healer a small smile. "Thanks you, Healer Ashton," he said. "You can send them in."

"Very well, Mr Malfoy," Healer Ashton countered, as she opened the door to the room again. She was just about to step out when she let out a sudden gasp. She quickly turned round.

"What is it?" Hermione asked, her eyes full of concern. "Healer Ashton, what is the matter?"

"It's nothing, my Dear," Healer Ashton replied in a rush, "I just forgot to tell you the last of your visitors; I missed his name off of the list." However, the tone of voice suggested something entirely different.

Draco and Hermione shot each other a worried look. "Who is he?" Hermione found herself asking, dread filling her stomach.

"His name is Blaise Zabini," Healer Ashton replied, looking down at the list. "And he keeps on claiming – no matter how _ridiculous_ the idea sounds – that he's your husband."

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_So heres another chapter about a minute before christmas ends. _

_Please remember to review :)_


	6. Chapter 6

_Hello everybody! I hope you all had a wonderful christmas and a great new year. _

_I was pretty upset about the lack of reviews I got last chapter but I just figured it was because it was on christmas. please prove me right by reviewing this chapter :)_

_Thanks to those who did review last chapter:  
David Fishwick: are you a fortune teller?  
mjmusiclover: thank you :)  
JenJen10143: pretty sure Blaise doesnt care. he wants Hermione and only Hermione  
ness171990: i think youll like it ;)  
Irmorena: love the idea lol_

_

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Last Chapter: Healer Ashton looked down at the clipboard, and began to read off the names. "Well, there is the Potter Family, a Mr Ronald Weasley and his girlfriend, Colette Washington, and a Mrs Narcissa Malfoy as well."

_Draco sent the Healer a small smile. "Thanks you, Healer Ashton," he said. "You can send them in."_

_"Very well, Mr Malfoy," Healer Ashton countered, as she opened the door to the room again. She was just about to step out when she let out a sudden gasp. She quickly turned round._

_"What is it?" Hermione asked, her eyes full of concern. "Healer Ashton, what is the matter?"_

_"It's nothing, my Dear," Healer Ashton replied in a rush, "I just forgot to tell you the last of your visitors; I missed his name off of the list." However, the tone of voice suggested something entirely different._

_Draco and Hermione shot each other a worried look. "Who is he?" Hermione found herself asking, dread filling her stomach._

_"His name is Blaise Zabini," Healer Ashton replied, looking down at the list. "And he keeps on claiming – no matter how ridiculous the idea sounds – that he's your husband."_

* * *

It took Draco all but three seconds for him to recognise the name uttered from the Healer's lips. Before anyone could stop him, the young Malfoy stormed out of the room, mind clouded with anger, and lunged for the smirking man in front of him.

"You BASTARD!" Draco cried, as his fist landed swiftly on Blaise's nose. "You absolute bastard!"

The crack of bone breaking ran throughout the hallway, and Zabini cried out as his nose fractured. He barely had time to compose himself when Draco hit him again. He staggered backwards, slipped, and landed on the hard linoleum floor. The back of his head caught the edge of the wall, and a small gash appeared on the corner of his forehead. Blaise winced in pain.

Before he could get up, however, Draco pounced on top of him and began to strike every inch of flesh that the blond could reach; all the while profanities sprang from pale lips. Blaise, released from the shock of Draco's attack, began to fight back. The two men, ignoring the cries from Narcissa, Colette and Ginny to stop fighting, tumbled around the floor causing abrasions to blemish their skin.

"Why the hell did you do it!" Draco roared, as he landed another punch to Blaise's face. "What on earth possessed you to ruin our lives?"

Blaise kneed Draco in the groin, which caused the blond to roll off of the other man, groaning in pain. Blaise took this moment of weakness to his advantage, and landed a couple of blows to Draco's body. The blond man gasped for breath; one of Blaise's punches had left him winded.

"Like I was going to let her get away that easily!" Blaise sneered, as Draco pushed him off of his body, and sent him flying into the wall again. "She was supposed to be _mine_, Malfoy! Not yours – but mine!"

Slowly, Draco rose to his feet. He wiped some blood from his nose and curled his lips into a grimace. "Yes well, if you hadn't decided to cheat on her then maybe she would've still been yours." Blaise froze and glared at his former best friend. "However, you just couldn't keep your _knickers_ on, and decided to sleep with the first _thing_ that decided to spread its legs to you!"

The room fell deathly silent at Draco's admission; no one – save for those four people involved – had ever truly known the reason for Blaise and Hermione's break-up. Now that they did, though, they were ready to kill Blaise themselves. Well, Harry and Ron were anyway.

Ice blue eyes clashed with steel grey; both men had perfect sneers etched on their faces, and their noses curled slightly. The two Slytherin's were sporting a variety of cuts and bruises – though Blaise looked far worse – and both were panting for breath. The fight seemed to be over –

"You're dead Malfoy!" Blaise screamed, and he let loose at Draco again.

Or maybe not…

Healer Ashton, who had finally recovered from Blaise and Draco's first fight, started to scream for the two men to stop fighting. "This is a hospital, boys," she cried, as Draco and Blaise tumbled past her, causing the Healer to step back slightly, "and _not_ a playground! Please stop this fighting _at once_!"

Her pleas fell on deaf ears, and both of the men – or _boys_, as they were seen in the Healer's eyes – continued to fight. With a huff the Healer turned towards where Harry and Ron were standing.

"You two are Aurors!" She shouted, as she indicated at the scrabbling Blaise and Draco. "Can't you do something about it?"

Harry and Ron looked at each other, seemed to consider the Healer's request, before they shook their heads. "Sorry," Ron said on behalf of the two. "But we're not on duty." Healer Ashton began to splutter, infuriated at the reaction she had received.

"Plus," Harry said, ignoring the utter looks of horror he was receiving from his wife, Colette, Narcissa and Healer Ashton, "Zabini bloody deserves what he's getting at the moment. If it hadn't been for him then Hermione wouldn't even be in here."

"Harry!" Ginny reprimanded. "You've got to do something! Hermione wouldn't encourage _this_." She gestured to Blaise and Draco.

"You could loose your job over this Ronald," Colette said, her voice quite calm and reasonable despite the massacre which was taking place. "Do you really want that to happen?"

Ron opened his mouth to reply when Narcissa Malfoy jumped it. "You can not just stand there and do nothing," her voice was shrill. "What if Draco gets seriously injured! I don't want my son to die! Merlin help me Potter, but go and help him!"

Hermione, who had been hearing the commotion outside of her room but not seeing it, finally made her way to the door. She took one look at the two Slytherin's and began to fume. What on earth had Draco been thinking?

"Just stop it both of you!" She exclaimed. Both boys paused in their fighting, and the arguing group stopped immediately. All at once eight heads turned towards the Gryffindor. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"Hermione, I –" Draco began as he got up from the floor, Blaise close behind him.

"No," Hermione interrupted, her voice breaching no argument. "I don't care what your excuse is Draco, there was no need to start a bloody punch-up!"

"I would say there was," Ron whispered in Harry's ear. "I mean, come on, after what Zabini –"

"Ronald Billius Weasley," Hermione had turned on him. "Don't think you I've forgotten about you!" Harry began to snigger, which caused Hermione to face him, glaring daggers. "Or you Harry James Potter! How could the both of you have just stood there, _watching_ them fight, and not even trying to break them apart?"

Harry and Ron looked away sheepishly, cheeks red in embarrassment. Despite being fully grown men – which was part of the problem – Hermione always knew how to make them feel like naughty little schoolboys again. Merlin, even Mrs Weasley couldn't make them feel this low, which was saying something.

"You two are Aurors, for Godric's sake!" Hermione ranted at her two best friends. "But all you did was watch them – practically cheered them on in my books – and say that –" The young woman paused and gasped, as she felt a twinge in her stomach.

Healer Ashton was immediately at her side, Draco close behind. They stood either side of Hermione, supporting her as they lead her to a chair.

"Hermione, are you alright?" Draco asked, as he sat down beside her. His fiancé nodded her head, though she still looked pale.

"Miss Granger," Healer Ashton soothed, though her voice held a reprimanding tone in it too. "You really shouldn't be out of bed; it's not good for the condition you're in."

Hermione shot a withering look at the Healer. Sure, she got on well with Healer Ashton most of the time, but at the moment she wasn't sure if she could get along with _anybody_. She was just too angry with the three – well, four if she were to include Zabini – dunderheads, who were still smarting over their wounds (physical and emotional).

"I take it the curse worked then," Blaise's drawl broke the tense silence. All eight heads turned to the smirking man; Hermione felt Draco tense beside her. Slowly she put a comforting hand on his shoulder, and began to rub small circles with the bad of her thumb. "I take it that the baby's dead."

Hermione squeezed Draco's shoulder – a warning – but that didn't stop him from lurching out of the seat and head for Blaise again. However, he was stopped by Harry and Ron, whom had obviously learnt their lessons and so were now trying to get back in Hermione's good books.

"He's not worth it," Harry whispered in Draco's ear, grip still firm. "Leave him be, Malfoy, he'll get what's coming to him, don't worry."

Hermione, the pain now gone, turned to face her 'husband'. "Actually, Blaise, you're curse didn't kill the baby at all." Zabini's face was priceless. "It may have de-aged it by a couple of weeks, but our child is still alive and kicking, don't you worry about that." Her smirk was that of a Slytherin; Draco, who had been released by Harry and Ron by now, looked incredibly proud. Narcissa Malfoy was looking incredibly smug too.

"But – but – but _that's_ impossible!" Blaise stuttered, his face growing red.

"I'm afraid it's not," Narcissa Malfoy chimed in. "Obviously you weren't aware that the curse takes a few hours – sometimes _days_ – to kill the child."

Blaise was still in a matter of disbelief. "You're lying," he said, his voice shaking slightly. "You have got to be lying! I will not allow that _child_ to live when _she_ shares my name."

"The only reason she shares your name is because you placed her under the Imperius Curse," Draco snarled, though he held himself this time. "And as far as _I'm _concerned Zabini, Hermione isn't even your wife."

"On the contrary, our Wedding Certificate says we are," Blaise stated with smug finality, his composure slowly being regained. "And, as her husband, I will eradicate that abomination inside her womb if I wish to do so. Unfortunately for you, Malfoy, I do, so _move_ _out of my way_." Blaise made to step forward, reaching for his wand as he did so, only to be stopped by Harry and Ron.

"Don't you even think about it," Draco growled, as he stood in front of Hermione. "I swear to Salazar that if you ever try and kill my child again, then I will _not_ hesitate to kill you."

Blaise released a feral grin. "I'd like to see you try," he sneered, slowly lowering his wand. Before he could slip it away, though, he had been disarmed by Harry. He glared at the two Gryffindor's, his lips curling. "What the hell did you do that for?" Blaise cried, as his hands were magically bound.

"You, Mr Zabini, are under arrest," Ron declared, as he and Harry forced Zabini down the corridor.

"But you've got nothing on me!" Blaise exclaimed.

"Actually, we do," Harry pointed out. "You kidnapped Hermione, cast her under the Imperius Curse _and_ tried to kill her child. If that doesn't mean we can't arrest you, then I don't know what will."

"They'll let me go," Blaise snapped, as he tried to struggle against them. "In a matter of hours I'll be back, and ready to take my _wife_ home!"

"Maybe so," Ron said, though he seemed reluctant to do so. "But at least it'll give Hermione and Malfoy some peace of mind for a while."

"Thanks Weasley," Draco's tone told all that he was incredibly grateful. "Hermione and I really appreciate it."

"That won't change the fact that she's still my wife," Blaise snarled, as he glared at Hermione even more. "And that also won't change the fact I _will_ get rid of her child somehow." He winked at Hermione, causing Draco to press Hermione closer to his body, and sent her a kiss. "See you later, Love," He said, his blue eyes glowing maliciously. Hermione felt physically sick as his eyes roamed her body.

The other witnesses had watched the scene in silence and shock – words never passing through their lips, too intent on watching what would happen – stared at the three walking out of the hospital. Ginny and Colette shared a look at each other, but it was Healer Ashton who voiced the question.

"I thought you said that you two were off duty?"

Harry and Ron paused in their walking and looked back at the crowd. "Oh, about that," Ron hollered, as they began to make their way towards the lifts again, "We lied."

* * *

_please remember to review :)  
if i get more then 15 I'll upload another chapter tomorrow!_


	7. Chapter 7

_Hello everyone!_

_I'm getting this out a little later then usual and I appologize. Hopefully the chapter will make up for it :)_

_I also just wanted to say to those people who I haven't already told personally that the idea from this story came from the movie 'The Holiday'. Just wanted to give credit to an amazing movie for giving me this idea. _

_Thanks to those who reviewed last chapter:  
_David Fishwick_: I'm glad you liked the fight lol  
_PadfootandPuppy_: It is sad... isn't it?  
_Irmorena_: lol don't worry we will!  
_mjmusiclover_: I'm happy you like the way it was written!  
_cullen's pet_: i hope this ones just as good  
__: I know the chapters are short but please keep in mind that what you're reading right now isn't what I wrote. These chapters were written by the original author so theres no way i can change the length just yet.  
_ness171990_: me to lol  
_Agent Twinkle Toes_: I hope this chapter just as good.  
_daniela1417_: you would think so... but then there wouldn't be a story lol :P  
_Scabbers1957_: lmfao! loved your review. amazing suggestions.  
_le temps d'un automne_: i know. he's so mean :(  
_Vic92091_: you're very welcome. i hope you'll like it.  
_lacym3_: the first nine chapters of the story belong to the original author and then after that is what I wrote with the same story line that the original author had planned._

_

* * *

__Last Chapter: "That won't change the fact that she's still my wife," Blaise snarled, as he glared at Hermione even more. "And that also won't change the fact I will get rid of her child somehow." He winked at Hermione, causing Draco to press Hermione closer to his body, and sent her a kiss. "See you later, Love," He said, his blue eyes glowing maliciously. Hermione felt physically sick as his eyes roamed her body._

_The other witnesses had watched the scene in silence and shock – words never passing through their lips, too intent on watching what would happen – stared at the three walking out of the hospital. Ginny and Colette shared a look at each other, but it was Healer Ashton who voiced the question._

_"I thought you said that you two were off duty?"_

_Harry and Ron paused in their walking and looked back at the crowd. "Oh, about that," Ron hollered, as they began to make their way towards the lifts again, "We lied."_

* * *

As soon as Harry and Ron had dragged Blaise into the lift, and the doors had closed, all the remaining people let out a breath that they had not realised they had been holding. Draco's shoulders visibly relaxed, as did his grip around Hermione; however, he did not let go of her.

With a deep heavy sigh, Healer Ashton, who looked mildly annoyed, was the first person to speak up. "Miss Granger," her voice held a harsh tone to it, "I would appreciate it if you and your friends moved back into your room. You see, this is a hospital; we do not accept violence here – especially in the wards. I would guess that your fiancé and _husband_ have disturbed quite a few of our patients." She sent a look at the crowd before. "I wish to have no further trouble from you." She cleared her throat, and gave the group a tight smile. "If you need me, however, do not hesitate to come down the front desk."

Hermione, Draco, Ginny, Narcissa and Colette watched in silence as Healer Ashton walked down the same path as Ron, Harry and Zabini had, before turning left. With an unspoken agreement the remaining five people went into Hermione's hospital room. They all crowded round Hermione's bed – where she had been placed, despite her slight protests – and looked at each other. It was as if no one wanted to speak.

In this time, Hermione looked around at her company. She gave brief smiles to Ginny and Narcissa, before her eyes landed on Ron's girlfriend. "Ah," she exclaimed, with a brilliant smile, "So this is Colette, then." It wasn't a question, because there was no need for an answer; it was obvious who this girl was.

"That's right," Colette answered anyway, giving a small smile of her own. "It's great to meet you, Hermione; I've heard so much about you from Ronald." Hermione's lips quirked slightly as she realised that Colette had said the whole of Ron's first name; no one had done that since Luna had died.

"Not all bad I hope," Hermione joked, feeling lighter than she had in days, though Blaise still lingered on her mind.

"Of course not," Colette replied, her eyes – one green, the other brown – were sparkling. "Though I do remember one story where you were turned into a cat. Care to explain more?"

Hermione felt her cheeks tinge red as Draco, Ginny and Colette – who _had_ heard the story – chuckled. Narcissa was the only one who seemed perplexed. However, despite being quite intrigued, the elder Malfoy didn't ask. Instead, she waited quite patiently for the laughter to end. It seemed to be a long time coming.

As the laughter continued, Hermione took time to study Ron's girlfriend. She seemed nice enough – nicer than Lavender, anyway – and she obviously thought the world of Ron. She wasn't beautiful, but there was something about her appearance – and aura – which made her quite striking. Hermione knew, without a doubt, that Ron had made a good choice.

"What school did you go to?" Hermione asked, as she realised that she had never seen Colette before.

"Hogwarts," Colette replied, brushing a strand of blood-red hair from out of her eyes. "I was in Hufflepuff."

Hermione's brow furrowed as she tried to remember the young woman before her. However, it was useless; the only two Hufflepuff girls that she was aware of were Hannah Abbott and Susan Bones. Come to think of it, there had only been two Hufflepuff girls in her year at Hogwarts, with neither of them being Colette.

"Were you in a younger year?" Hermione asked, "Sorry, but I just can't seem to recall your face at all."

Colette laughed, her brown and green eyes glowing with mirth. "No, I was two years above you. I was in the same year as Fred and George, Ron's brothers. In fact, they were the ones who introduced us to each other."

Hermione couldn't help but feel slightly shocked by this revelation. After all, Ron had never been one to go for older women before. Maybe her friend was finally deciding to grow up. Maybe Ron was finally starting to get over Luna. Silence reigned over the group yet again.

"How long do you think you're going to be in here, Hermione?" Ginny asked, as she sat down beside her friend.

"They wish to keep me in overnight," Hermione replied to her friend, as she recalled the conversation between herself and Healer Ashton before Draco had been let in. "You know, just for observation. Though they're sure that the child is going to be fine, they are not willing to take any risks. At the moment I'm to be discharged tomorrow morning, after breakfast."

"I'm so glad that you're alright, though, Hermione," Narcissa Malfoy stated, as she wiped at her eyes and came to the other side of the Gryffindor. "When I heard about your… disappearance, I had never been more frantic." She sent a watery smile at her son's fiancé, but could continue no more.

"We were _all_ worried about you and the baby," Ginny started from where Narcissa had left off, "And then when Draco contacted us about what had happened, and where you were, we all dreaded the worst." Ginny gave her friend an apologetic look. "I know we should have thought positive about the outcome, but we honestly we were going to loose you. _Both _of you."

Hermione, tears falling from her eyes, struggled from her position in the bed, grabbed Ginny into a tight hug. The two friends clung to each other, trying to soothe the other down. Finally, they broke apart.

"Right then," Ginny said, as she wiped her nose with the back of her hand. "I think I should be off. Mum's been looking after James for Harry and I most of this week, and so we haven't really seen him. I would stay here longer, Hermione, but –"

"Go to your son, Ginevra," Hermione ordered, her voice firm and breaching no argument. "He needs you more than I do at the moment."

"Just Floo me if you need anything, Hermione," Ginny said, as she stood up. "I'd drop everything in a second just for you." She pressed a small, friend kiss to her friends cheek, before doing the same with Draco.

"Even James?" He joked, as she pulled back. "I wouldn't think that the Ministry would be too happy about that, now, would they?" In return to his comment, Ginny hit Draco on the shoulder – not lightly either – but smiled up at him none the less.

"You know what I mean, Malfoy," she said, her voice stern but still holding a teasing light to it. She turned to Colette. "Are you coming too, or do you wish to stay here a little bit longer?"

"I'll come with you," Colette answered. "It's about time I got back to work anyway, too. Merlin knows what's been happening since I've been gone; knowing me, the Twins have probably blown up the shop by now."

"You work at Weasley's Wizards Wheezes?" Hermione asked, as she started to put two and two together.

"Yep," Colette replied, as she placed her coat back on. "Hence how Ron and I met." She took Hermione's hand, and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I'll see you soon, yeah?" She asked, to which Hermione nodded. With that said, both red-heads left the hospital room. Now only Hermione, Draco and Narcissa remained.

"It's great to see you again, Narcissa," Hermione finally said, as both Malfoys sat either side of her. "How have you been?"

"Well, save from killing myself with worry over you, my dear, I've been perfectly fine." The smile she gave the Gryffindor as she said this, let Hermione know that she was telling the truth. "In fact, to be honest, I've never felt happier – and slightly worried. After all, I'm not even fifty and I'm going to be a grandmother." She grimaced slightly, but both Draco and Hermione could see the proud twinkle in her eye.

"Yes, well," Draco said, smirking slightly. "That's what you get for having me at a young age."

"Draco!" Hermione scolded, whilst Narcissa chuckled.

"My dear son, I was older than Hermione when I had you," his mother said, which wiped the smirk off of her son's face immediately. "So, if anyone should be worried about having grandchildren in their early forties, Draco, it's you."

On that note, Narcissa and Hermione burst out into howls of laughter at the horror-struck look on Draco's face. The younger witch found it good to laugh, considering the circumstances, and seemed unable to stop. With a final contented sigh, Hermione was finally able to let her laughter cease.

Silence seemed to be a controlling factor that day, as it reigned around the room once again. However, Hermione didn't seem to mind it – and neither did Narcissa or Draco. All three were content, and happy to be around those they loved.


	8. Chapter 8

_Hello everyone! _

_Thanks to those who reviewed last chapter:  
_David Fishwick_: im glad you liked it  
_mjmusiclover_: thank you :)  
_Scabbers1957_: yes it was very entertaining  
_ilovefireyredheads_: i think you'll like it  
_Irmorena_: lets go!!  
_JenJen10143_: i forgive you and next chance i get ill go check out your story  
_daniela1417_: im really happy you thought it was "aww" worthy :)_

_The amount of reviews were pretty upsetting last chapter, and since today is my birthday (yay!) it would be an AMAZING birthday present from all of you if you could review! Thanks!__Last Chapter: "My dear son, I was older than Hermione when I had you," his mother said, which wiped the smirk off of her son's face immediately. "So, if anyone should be worried about having grandchildren in their early forties, Draco, it's you."_

* * *

_On that note, Narcissa and Hermione burst out into howls of laughter at the horror-struck look on Draco's face. The younger witch found it good to laugh, considering the circumstances, and seemed unable to stop. With a final contented sigh, Hermione was finally able to let her laughter cease._

_Silence seemed to be a controlling factor that day, as it reigned around the room once again. However, Hermione didn't seem to mind it – and neither did Narcissa or Draco. All three were content, and happy to be around those they loved._

* * *

Blaise's 'few hours' turned out to be more than a few days, and he was now currently in his second week of custody. His influence within the Ministry wasn't as strong as he had first believed, and this had been a massive blow to his ego. He currently sat in his cell licking his wounds clean, all the while scheming and planning his next move. After all, he was not about to let Draco Malfoy win, especially after he had come this far.

It was time for a Zabini to win.

Trying to carry on with their lives as much as possible, both Hermione and Draco were unaware that Blaise was still trying to worm his way out of the situation he had placed them all in. Currently, they were too wrapped up in each other, trying to make the best of the weeks to come, to even think of Draco's former friend and Hermione's ex. Despite this, though, neither the Slytherin nor Gryffindor could ever truly rid themselves of this sense of foreboding.

In silence, it constantly lingered on their minds.

Hermione's pregnancy however, was going smoothly and there had been no relapses since Blaise had cast the spell on her. She had now reached her fourth week of pregnancy (though it should've been her seventh), which meant she was one week away before her morning sickness should start – again. The young witch was dreading the taste of bile which would soon fill her senses, and she silently hoped that her morning sickness would stop once she reached the thirteenth week stage, and that she was not one of those poor souls who would end up being sick throughout the whole forty weeks.

_Knowing my luck,_ she occasionally thought to herself as her fifth week loomed nearer. _I will be one of those unfortunate souls. After all, they do say that bad luck comes in threes._

Even though Hermione was still in the early stages of pregnancy, already everyone was trying to guess the gender of her and Draco's child. Boys being boys, Harry, Ron, Draco and her Father believed that the child would be a boy, whilst Ginny, Colette, Narcissa and her Mother believed that the baby would be a girl. Hermione, unlike everyone else, did not have a preference for the gender of her child, and only wished for a healthy pregnancy and safe delivery. This somewhat irked the others slightly as neither group were able to persuade the pregnant woman into preferring a particular gender.

"I was exactly the same, mind," Ginny stated to the group of friends and family one evening as they were at the Potter's for dinner. "Whilst pregnant with James, I didn't really seem to care about what gender he was. All I wished for, like Hermione, was a healthy pregnancy and safe delivery. The gender of James was the last thing on my mind."

"It wasn't the last thing on my mind," Harry joked, running a hand through his jet black hair. "All I could constantly do was root for a son – though a daughter would have been lovely too."

"It must be a woman thing then," Colette spoke up, as she placed her drink back down onto the table. "I was exactly the same before I had Maggie," she explained to everyone.

Maggie, Hermione had found out on a visit from Colette a few days after she had left Saint Mungos, was Ron's girlfriends daughter from a previous relationship. From what she could understand, considering she had yet to meet Maggie, she was the pride and joy of Colette's life, as well as being the spitting image of the former Hufflepuff as well. Apparently the only difference between Daughter and Mum was the colour in one of their eyes; where Colette had green and brown,Maggie had green and blue (the blue eye being from her Father).

"When will I get to meet your daughter, Colette?" Hermione asked, passing Harry her empty plate. "I've heard so much about her, but have not yet had the chance to see her. Do you think she'll be able to come round with you and Ron for dinner next week?"

"I don't see why she can't," Colette replied, pouring herself some more wine. "After all Magdalena is with me this weekend. Damien's got some business in America, and therefore won't be around anyway."

"So it's settled them," Hermione beamed across at the woman who was quickly becoming her friend. "Maggiewill be joining us for tea next week with you and Ron, and I finally get to see the other girl who has stolen Ronald's heart."

The rest of the table laughed at this comment as they all knew how true it was. Even though Ron knew that Maggie had her own father – a father that loved her dearly – he couldn't help but see Colette's daughter as his own.

"It's hard for her not to," Ron admitted, taking Colette's hand in his. "Maggieis just wonderful. You've got her Mum to thank for that," he leaned over and placed a chaste kiss over his girlfriend's lips, and pulled back with his ears burning slightly. Despite being twenty-three years of age, Ron still wasn't one who coped well with minor public displays of affection. He looked around, a 'hands-caught-in-the-cookie-jar' expression plastered all over his face, which all of those around the table found incredibly amusing.

"Oh Weasley," Draco sighed shaking his head. "When are you going to learn?"

Ron's reply to Draco's rhetorical was to turn beet red, and stuff his mouth full of pie so he did not say anything stupid in reply. His reaction caused the mood to lighten even more than it had already, leading to a late night full of fun, friendship and laughter.

All thoughts of Zabini had disappeared.

The following morning dawned bright and early for Hermione and Draco, the latter having to go work, and still their moods hadn't changed from the night before. Waking up at exactly the same time (due to the alarm), with very similar smiles on their faces, the Slytherin and Gryffindor turned round to face each other and kissed one another on the lips.

"Morning," Draco breathed once they had parted, his hand resting delicately on Hermione's face, and running the pad of his thumb across her cheekbone. "I take it you slept well?"

With a yawn in his face – causing Draco to get a whiff of Hermione's morning breath – Hermione nodded, and let out a satisfied smile. "I slept like a baby," Hermione murmured, her brown eyes hooded with desire as she recalled the night before.

"Tired you out, did I?" Draco asked, drawing her body to his. He felt Hermione nod into the crook of his shoulder. "Thought so," he then said, smirking.

Hermione raised her head at this comment, and glared at him. "You are so _full_ of yourself," she laughed, as she grabbed her pillow and whacked it around the blond man's head. "Won't – you – ever – learn?" Each word had been punctuated by the thump of a pillow hitting Draco's head, and a myriad of giggles from the witch that was causing Draco's head harm.

As Hermione launched herself at him again with the pillow, Draco, with his Seeker reflexes, snatched the pillow out of her hands and chucked across the room, which meant she would be unable to reach it from the bed. Shocked at how quickly she had been disarmed, Hermione glowered at Draco, her face showing no signs of amusement, before she was flipped over onto her back, therefore causing her to shriek.

"Nice try, Love," Draco murmured into her ear as he pressed feather-light kisses along her jaw line. "But it just wasn't good enough." He ended this sentence by passionately joining his lips with hers, and allowing his hands to roam all over her naked body. They rested lightly on her flat stomach for a couple of seconds longer than any where else, before they dipped lower, and into her private area. His soft, teasing strokes soon had her moaning and writhing underneath him.

"I think," Draco moaned into Hermione's ear as he lifted her from the bed, wrapped her legs around his naked waist, and made his way across the room, "that we need to take _this _into the bathroom." Hermione let out a gurgle of agreement, and allowed Draco to carry her into their en suite.

Ten minutes later, the bath run and full of hot steaming water, the couple found themselves lost in a haze of pleasure.

The letter came during their time in the bathtub, and neither of them noticed the owl until near the end of breakfast. As soon as they saw the Barn Owl, and then the Ministries official stamp which accompanied the letter within its beak, all laughter and conversation ceased. Two pairs of eyes, full of worry, looked once at the bird then back at each other.

"What do you think it could be about?" Hermione's voice was dry and hoarse.

Draco shrugged, scraped back the legs of his chair, and headed over to where the owl was perched, outside of their house, and let the bird fly in. The Barn Owl landed on the back of the abandoned chair, and dropped the letter on top of Draco's toast. It did not fly away, therefore meaning that the letter would need a reply, but simply stared at the stricken couple. Sensing the uncomfortable silence, it cooed into the air.

Not bothering to close the window behind him, Draco finally went over to where the letter lay and picked it up. He quickly read who it was addressed to, before passing it to Hermione as if he had been burnt.

"It's for you," he addressed Hermione in tone of cold civility, and Hermione could not understand what had changed him so quickly.

"Draco?" Hermione questioned, with her face a picture of puzzlement. "What's wrong?" A quick glance down at the letter, however, told Hermione exactly what had troubled, and angered, the Slytherin greatly. It wasn't hard to figure it out.

On the top line of the envelope, it was addressed to a _Mrs Hermione. J. Zabini_, instead of the requested _Miss Hermione. J. Granger_. Immediately, like Draco, she felt her blood run cold. Did the Ministry not have any _respect_ for the situation Blaise Zabini had – and currently was – putting them through? By just the top line of the envelope, she couldn't honestly say 'no, they did not'.

She turned worried and angry eyes upwards to Draco – who was determinedly not looking her way and currently stroking the Barn Owl – swallowing hard. "This is going to be about _him_ isn't it," Hermione choked out, and she turned the sealed letter round to open it up. Her fingers trembled as she opened up the paper latch, and pulled the parchment out.

"How should I know?" Draco replied, his voice emotionless. "After all, I'm not a bloody Seer now, am I?"

Though upset by Draco's harsh reaction – although it should've been expected – Hermione didn't rise to the argument, focusing her attention on the letter and matter at hand. Slowly, she unfolded the letter and read:

_Dear Mrs Zabini_, (Hermione cringed at the hated title)

_Following Mr Blaise Zabini's arrest on the 15th September 2003, based around a series of allegations, a date for his Hearing has been settled for Friday 7th November 2003, at 9:00am in Court Room 9. As the main victim within these accusations against your husband, you're presence is requested so as to testify against the Accused_.

_This letter is also requested to your Partner, Mr Draco. L. Malfoy, as well as anyone else who you feel needs to stand against Mr Zabini. Those who will be at the defence of Mr Zabini, however, are to not be revealed until the day of the trial. This will then prevent these people from being threatened by the Opposition, therefore making them change their statement. _

_Please reply to this owl with a list of all those who will be standing against the Accused, as well as letting us know that you will be attending the Hearing. _

_Wishing that you are well,_

_Yours Sincerely _

_Jasper Hartington _

_Ministry Official_

Hermione slowly let the letter fall from her hands, and float towards the floor. Despite having read the letter word for word, she still could not take any of it in, nor believe that the Hearing had come so quickly. Normally, it took months for this sort of thing.

"Well," Draco's voice snapped Hermione out of her shocked state. "What did it say?"

"Zabini's Hearing date has been set," Hermione's hollow voice answered. "We're to testify against him next Friday, on the Seventh of November, in Courtroom Nine."

"What do you think will happen?" Draco's voice was just as empty as her own. "Will they be able to clear this farce of a marriage, or are you going to have to spend the rest of your life with or as a Zabini?" The bitter hatred he felt for Blaise and the whole situation was evident in both his voice and posture. Currently, Draco could not even look at her.

_All it took was just one letter_, Hermione thought as tears fell down her cheeks. _And Zabini has ruined a perfectly wonderful morning_.

"Don't do this to me, Draco," Hermione sobbed, her body shaking with sobs. "Don't pull away from me when I need you the most. _Please_!"

"I – I've got to get to work," Draco stuttered, unsure of what to do. Any other time he would've scooped Hermione up in his arms and have tried to soothe her worries away, but in this current situation he just couldn't. Not at this moment, anyway. He was hurting too much himself, as it was. "If I don't go now I'm – I'm going to be – going to be late." He turned on his heel and headed towards the front door, not even bothering to kiss Hermione goodbye.

"_Draco_!" Hermione screamed after him, as he grabbed his jacket and briefcase and opened the front door. "Please don't do this to me! It's not my fault." She was ignored, and the blond stepped out onto the street.

"Goodbye Hermione," he said through gritted teeth, his eyes closed, internally wincing at her cries of pain. "I'll see you when I get back from work."

"I love you," Hermione gasped out, as the door closed with a resounding 'bang'. The Gryffindor was now unsure as to whether her fiancé had heard her or not.

Slowly, Hermione's knees buckled and she fell to the ground, a sobbing wreak. She had never felt so hurt or broken or vulnerable before, and she absolutely _hated_ herself for it. Where was the strong Hermione Granger from her Hogwarts days? Where was the Hermione Granger that had survived the Great War?

She curled herself up into a ball, her hands resting on her flat belly, and let out all the pent up emotion she had been feeling since all this had happened. She screamed, cried and cursed, not caring if she could be heard by the outside world or not. At this moment in time, she didn't really care about anything.

Too lost in her tears, and memories of pain, Hermione didn't hear the front door open, or the presence of another being within her home until she felt someone kneel down beside and take her frail body into his arms.

"Oh Gods, Hermione," Draco choked out, as he pressed a hard kiss to her forehead. "Oh Gods, Love, I'm so sorry. _So_ sorry." Hermione felt wet droplets hit her forehead, and she gasped slightly as she realised Draco was crying too. She clung to him even tighter, and buried her head into the crook of his neck. "I love you too," Draco then went on to whisper within her ear. "I love you too."

"I know you do," Hermione tried to get out, though all that she said came out in an inaudible whispered sob. "I know."

For the first time since all this had happened, Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy sat in the middle of their kitchen and let out all the pain and anger they were feeling, all the while wrapped up in the arms of each other.

"You've got a visitor, Zabini," the Guard hissed, as he opened the cell door. "Just as you requested, she came."

Blaise Zabini, still in the clothes that he had been wearing two weeks beforehand, looked up to see a small, squat figure enter his cell. Recognising who it was, the imprisoned Slytherin smiled.

"And just remember, Jerry," the voice simpered, placing a couple of Galleons into the Guard's hand. "This visit, as _I _have requested, is off the record." The last three words were whispered and then followed by a tinkering laugh.

Blaise's grin widened. Yes, this idea would be perfect.

"Of course, Madame," Jerry stated, pocketing the money as he left the cell. "Let me know when you wish to leave, and I will let you out." With that said he closed the door behind him, and headed back to his desk, whistling as he walked.

As soon as both people left in the cell were sure that Jerry was out of hearing distance, the visitor began to speak. "I take it that you wanted to see me, Mr Zabini," the woman simpered as she made her way into a lighter part of the room. The beginnings of a broad, fake smile could be seen against the elder woman's face. "From what I can gather, I'm guessing it is to do with your upcoming Trial at the Ministry. Am I correct?"

"Right as always," Blaise answered, knowing that flattery was the best way to go about this. "And, knowing how much you seem to despise Hermione Granger, I thought I could – erm – gain your support. Are you game?"

The visitor before him seemed to consider his proposition for a few seconds before giving him an inquisitive look. "What do you have in mind here?" Blaise knew, without a doubt, that this woman would agree to his wishes.

"Well, Miss Umbridge," he began, as the toad-like Witch conjured a pink, frilly chair to sit on. "How does fifteen thousand Galleons sound…?"

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_please remember to review guys. for my birthday please :P_


	9. Chapter 9

_Hello everybody! This is the last chapter until we get to the new stuff! Who's excited...?_

_Thanks to those who reviewed last chapter and wished me a happy birthday:  
Jade2099: Thank you! And yes, the pink cow must go down with all her kittens lmao!  
mayajane: glad you liked it.  
ness171990: lol yes this story was alwasy rated M. and thanks for the bday wish!  
ilovefireyredheads: Im not giving them to you on purpose lol. and thanks!  
JenJen10143: its okay i forgive you. and i personally think that umbridge and zabini make a good team since they're both sooooo evil.  
dracomalfoyswifey: don't worry i didnt forget about my other stories. just bad writers block :(. but yes... zabini is a jerk for not letting them be. and i TOTALLY agree with you. if draco was around i would go for him versus blaise :D  
David Fishwick: yeah, it's never good to have zabini AND umbridge after you.  
mjmusiclover: its okay for the lazy comments lol. i forgive you ;)  
dinos-are-cool: lol next chapter and its the new stuff! i personally cant wait to see everybodies reaction to it. hopefully you will all like it :)_

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Last Chapter: "Right as always," Blaise answered, knowing that flattery was the best way to go about this. "And, knowing how much you seem to despise Hermione Granger, I thought I could – erm – gain your support. Are you game?"

_The visitor before him seemed to consider his proposition for a few seconds before giving him an inquisitive look. "What do you have in mind here?" Blaise knew, without a doubt, that this woman would agree to his wishes._

_"Well, Miss Umbridge," he began, as the toad-like Witch conjured a pink, frilly chair to sit on. "How does fifteen thousand Galleons sound…?"_

* * *

The morning of November the 7th dawned dark, glum and early. Outside the heavens had opened and rain lashed down, bullying the ground with fat water droplets. Large puddles were scattered all over. A flash of lightning streaked across the sky, quickly followed by a rumble of thunder. Hermione, who had been watching the storms progression, flinched at the sound and moved away from the window she'd been looking through.

"Can't you sleep?" A voice slurred from behind her. Turning round Hermione came face to face with Draco, who was lying, still half asleep, in bed with his attention fixed solely on her.

"No," came Hermione's quiet reply, as she wrapped herself up in a dressing gown, and sitting down on the edge of their bed. "I've been up since gone four."

"You should've woken me up," Draco answered, sitting up and shuffling over until Hermione's back was resting against his chest. He pressed a chaste kiss to her neck, before stretching his lips into a small grin. "I could've kept you company."

Hermione turned her head to the side, and slowly stared into Draco's grey eyes. "You needed to rest," she argued, her voice calm and emotionless. "And besides, I wanted to be alone; it gave me time to think."

"Time to think about what?" Draco asked, pulling back slightly with a curious expression etched into his features.

"Time to think about what would happen if – if the worst occurs," Hermione explained, looking anywhere but at Draco's face. "I mean… what if Zabini and I _can't_ get a divorce?" A few tears slid down her cheeks. "After all, we were married in a _traditional_ Wizard's wedding, which practically screams 'bound for life'."

Hermione felt Draco's grip tighten, as he stiffened behind her. "I guess I'll have to kill him, then." His voice was calm and cool, but Hermione could recognise the underlying threat of promise.

She immediately stiffened.

"You will _not_ be killing anyone, Draco!" Hermione sent her fiancé a pure look of outrage, and pulled herself out of his arms. "Do you want our child to grow up without a father?"

"Of course I don't," Draco snapped back, "which is why _I_ won't be the one to kill him." He sent Hermione a pointed look. "I do have… connections, you know. I wasn't Lucius Malfoy's son for nothing."

"It won't stop you from being the number one suspect though, will it?" Hermione argued, incredulous at how ridiculous Draco was being. _Honestly, murder?_ Sure she hated Blaise Zabini – who wouldn't after all he'd done – but to have him dead – even if he did deserve it – was going to the extreme. Then again, this was Draco. "Look, at this moment in time, no one will be killing anyone. In fact, no one will be killing anyone, period. We're all adults now – some of us are about to become _parents_, may I remind you – and we'll (eventually) be able to sort something out."

With a reluctant sigh, Draco began to nod his head. "Alright, alright," he acquiesced, "_I_ won't be killing anyone – no matter how much I want to. Besides, as per usual, you're right. I probably would be the first in line for questioning if anything happened to Zabini."

Hermione, a lot calmer now, was still looking at Draco with sick fascination. "What even _possessed_ you to think of something like that, though?" She gasped, brows furrowed.

Draco didn't answer, causing the couple to fall into an awkward silence; both were lost in their thoughts about the day which lay ahead. Though neither would admit it – for the sake of the other – both were silently scared of what the outcome could possibly be. In a couple of hours they would either be ripped apart from one another, or rekindling their passionate relationship.

Finally, after what felt like forever, Draco broke the silence by slipping out of bed, and heading into their en suite bathroom. "I'll be out soon," He said shortly, before closing the door behind him.

Seconds later, Hermione heard the shower running.

"I'm sorry about earlier," Draco apologised as he and Hermione entered the Ministry of Magic, two hours later, and headed for the Wand Inspection queue. "Even though this isn't much of an excuse, I guess the thought of losing you – especially to _someone_ who's hurt you so much – overcame me, and I felt that bumping Blaise off would be the only way to have you again."

Though Hermione's heart softened slightly at Draco's apology and (poor) explanation, she didn't allow him to know that. After all, excuse or no excuse, there had been no need for it, whatsoever – even if she did (silently) wish the same thing. "Apology accepted," Hermione returned, not giving him a second glance. "Let's hope we never have to hear you say something like that again."

"I can't make any promises though, mind," Draco said, hoping that his joking nature would make Hermione smile slightly. "But, alas, I shall try. If my lady doth wish it, then I shall oblige." He wrapped an arm around her shoulder, but Hermione didn't snuggle into his embrace like normal. With a sigh, Draco realised how annoyed – and scared – his fiancé truly was. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Hermione shook her head. "No, I don't," She replied, giving out a tight smile so to lessen the bite within her words. "I just want to get today over and done with, and then never talk about it again… unless the worst happens." She shrugged Draco's arm off of her back, but then slipped her hand loosely through his.

They finally reached the Wand Inspection desk, and handed their wands over to the guards. Once everything was in order ("As if anything would be wrong with _my _wand," Draco had boasted crassly much to Hermione's embarrassment), they made their way through into the main lobby, and then left for the lifts.

All around, whispers flew.

"Are we meeting everyone else down there?" Draco murmured, as the elevator door closed on the nosey faces, and the machine began to make its way down to the ninth floor.

Hermione, fear clogging up her throat, didn't dare speak; the only reply she gave Draco was a quick nod of the head. As the lift drew nearer, Draco noted how Hermione's grip had become tighter. Though her facial expression didn't show how scared she was, her eyes and body posture did. In a matter of hours, Hermione would either walk out of here smiling or in tears.

Draco couldn't help but hope it would be the former. If he were to lose Hermione today – after _everything_ they'd been through – then his entire world – his entire _life_ – would cease to exist. With a small bump, the elevator arrived at its designated level, and the gates slid open.

Taking a deep breath, Hermione stepped out of the elevator with her fiancé close behind. "We're here, Draco," He heard her say, her voice firm and collected no ounce of what she was truly feeling in her voice. "Come on. Let's get this over and done with."

"What's _she_ doing here?" Hermione declared, as soon as she laid eyes on their judge. "I was told that it would be a Mr. Chester Fairson and certainly _not_ a Dolores Jane Umbridge, at all." Her eyes caught that of Percy Weasley's, who was to be Scribe for the Hearing, demanding for an answer.

In the background Hermione could hear Blaise chuckled with amusement, and the pregnant witch found herself scowling.

"Well, the thing is, Mrs – er – _Granger_," Percy stammered, trying to cover up his mistake. "Mr Fairson, unfortunately, was taken quite ill last night, and Miss Umbridge here, kind woman that she is, offered to take Mr Fairson's role instead."

In the background, Hermione heard Draco, Harry and Ron snort.

"But why weren't we informed of this change?" Hermione demanded to know, feeling all her anger (cause by both the situation and hormones) rise up within her. "You had plenty of time to let us know and, yet, you didn't!"

"Mrs Zabini," Umbridge simpered from her seat. "I apologise, on behalf of this court _and_ The Ministry, for not owling you with this rather _insignificant_ change." Her toad-like smile broadened. "However, in future cases, I will _personally_ make sure that you are informed." Hermione silently fumed at her patronizing tone. "Is that okay?"

"Yes, Your _Honour_," Hermione gritted out, her knuckles growing white as she clenched her hands together. "That would be greatly appreciated."

The rest of the room were silent, keen to watch how the two women would act. It was obvious to most of them – if not _all_ of them – that there was a bitter history between the pair.

"Good," Umbridge stated out of the silence. "That's… good." A tense silence had fallen over the room, and many of the occupants – okay, _all_ of the occupants – were staring between the Ministry Official and former Gryffindor. The former Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor quickly cleared her throat. "Excuse me," She crowed causing all the attention to fall back to her. "But if you'd be so kind, can we begin?"

"Certainly, Miss Umbridge," Draco drawled before Hermione could snap at the Judge again. He caught his fiancé's eye, a silent warning to remind Hermione of whom they were dealing with. He hated this as much as Hermione did, but knew better than cause unnecessary trouble.

Well, only where the Ministry was concerned anyway.

With a sharp nod from Umbridge, a small wizard rose up in the silent court. He looked around, acknowledging the Judge and both sides, before opening his mouth to speak. "Witches and Wizards of the jury, today we are here to decide whether the allegations Mrs Hermione Zab – I mean, Miss Hermione Granger has accused Mr. Blaise Zabini of performing are true or not." He paused for breath, and then continued. "Today we will here stories from both sides – _whilst_ under the influence of Veritaserum – as well as those who were – for lack of a better word – witnesses to the event." Another pause followed, allowing everyone in the room to digest the words which had been spoken. "All of the above," the Wizard continued after a few seconds, "has been agreed by both the opposition and proposition."

Finally, he fell silent and sat down again. For Hermione, Draco, Blaise and everyone else within the room, this was a sign that the questioning was about to start.

"Now," Dolores Umbridge cried, after a few seconds of scanning the room. "If you'd be so kind, would Mr. Blaise Zabini take to the stand?"

"The story's quite simple really," Blaise started after he'd taken a few drops of Veritaserum, and had been asked to reiterate his side of the story. "For the past year or so, Hermione and I had been having an affair." Gasps of outrage and surprise echoed through the room, and Hermione's eyes bugged at the blatant lie. Besides her, Draco stiffened. "The day she found out she was pregnant – and, ever so unfortunately, with Draco Malfoy's child – she immediately came to me, begging for my help." He paused and turned his head to where Hermione sat, shaking with fury. For a brief second his lips twitched upwards in what many took as a loving smile; for Hermione though, as well as those around her, it was a small flicker of triumph.

"He's lying," Ginny hissed quietly to her husband, who looked ready to kill Zabini, and Colette. "Somehow, he's been able to overrule the influence the Veritaserum should have on him."

"But how?" Colette whispered, sending her boyfriend's sister a worried look. "As far as I know, there isn't a cure – for lack of a better word – for those put under the influence of Veritaserum."

"We have to stop this Hearing," Ginny said, as Blaise continued with his statement. "Something has happened to ensure that Blaise wins."

"We _can't_ though," Colette replied, her face horror-struck. "We've got no proof. The jury – and the Ministry for that matter – would just think we're doing it to stall Hermione's testimony." She closed her eyes, and took in a deep breath. "I'm sorry Gin, but we're going to have to sit this one through."

"…it was on Hermione's request that I cast the Abortion Curse on her," Blaise stated, his voice loud and clear. "She said – and I quote – that 'she didn't want a Malfoy's spawn' and, as this kid wouldn't have been mine, I happily obliged." Hermione felt physically sick at how easily Blaise lied, and twisted the court around his little finger. She dared a glance at Draco, who looked livid. "It wasn't until the pain took affect that she realised how dangerous the curse was. Immediately she begged me to stop it, but I refused; she couldn't keep changing her mind. That was when she fled back to Malfoy and, by the looks of it, concocted up these lies to make it seem like I was the bad guy in all of this."

The room was deathly silent; people were either staring at Hermione or Blaise. To say that everyone was shocked would've been an understatement.

"That will be all, Mr Zabini," Umbridge simpered. "You may return to your seat." As Blaise did this, she focused her attention on Hermione. "Mrs _Zabini_, if you could be so kind, would you please come to the stand?"

Slowly, Hermione stood up and made her way over to where Blaise had been standing a few minutes beforehand. With shaking hands she took the vial of Veritaserum and downed it in one, before turning to face Umbridge and the jury.

"I do take it that you're Mrs Hermione _Jane_ Zabini, then?" Umbridge asked, as she folded her hands together, and leant over the table slightly.

"By accordance to this marriage, I am Mrs Hermione _Jean_ Zabini," Hermione said, the potion forcing her to answer truthfully. "However, as far as _I'm_ concerned, I'm still Hermione Jean Granger, and fiancé of Draco Malfoy." She paused and sent a pointed look at Blaise. "I am also pregnant with Draco's child, and happily so."

Whispers flew around at this admission, and many of those in the jury felt torn. Who were they to believe?

"Erase everything after 'Zabini', Mr Weasley," Umbridge ordered, sliding her gaze to Percy who was busy scribbling everything down. Hermione glared at the elder woman. "Everything after that is irrelevant information."

Gasps of outrage were heard from Draco, who looked ready to kill their former Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. She could just see Harry and Ronald holding him back, but they looked just as angry.

"Excuse me, Miss Umbridge," Hermione gritted out politely, causing the toad to look in her direction again. "But I feel that this piece of information _is_ relevant to the case because it goes to show that –"

"Mrs Zabini," Umbridge snapped, cutting the younger witch in mid-sentence. "Please be quiet. I have asked for the last part of your comment to be removed from the records, and I expect you to respect that decision. In this court, what _I _say goes and no one can change – or challenge – that matter." She watched in silent satisfaction as Hermione grudgingly agreed with her. "Now, like Mr Zabini has so kindly done for us, would you tell us your side of events?" The grin she gave Hermione was patronising to say the least. "After all, you deserve a chance too."

And so Hermione did, starting from the minute she had woken up on the 13th of October. "I must've arrived back at mine and Draco's home around half past four," Hermione said, as her day came to an end. "I was just sliding my keys into the lock when a shadow fell behind me." She paused and swallowed the lump that had built up in her throat. "Naturally, I had thought it was Draco. However, upon turning round I saw that it wasn't my fiancé at all; in fact, it was Zabini. Blaise then raised his wand at me, stunned me and I then came around four days later to find that I was… _married_ to him."

"So you have no recollection of what happened between the time you were _stunned_ by Mr. Zabini, and the time you woke up in his bed?" Hermione shook her head in answer to Umbridge's question. "Hmm… very interesting," She flicked through a few notes on her desk, before speaking again. "How can we be sure that you're not lying? For all _we_ know, Mrs Zabini, you could've gone and modified your memory to _make_ it seem that this is the story of events."

Hermione scoffed. "Excuse me?" She crowed, her brown eyes blazing. "What on earth makes you say that?"

"Sudden memory loss is normally a side affect from the Obliviation Spell," Umbridge explained to Hermione and the people around her. "_And _the fact that you were able to marry Mr. Zabini here – when the spell used in a Wizarding Ceremony detects if you're forced or not – shows that you _must_ have been willing."

Murmurs of agreement flew through the room and Hermione stood in the centre of it all, angry and upset with how easily Umbridge – and Blaise, for that matter – had manipulated them. The only group people who hadn't fallen for Zabini's lies, were those who'd been by her side since day one. However, Hermione noted, that didn't stop Draco from being angry.

"I was _not_ willing!" Hermione cried, outrage pulsing through her veins. "Though I may not have definite proof, I can tell you know that Zabini had me under the Imperius Curse!"

"Like you said, Miss Granger," Umbridge's grin grew bigger. "You have no proof, so we can not look into it." She glanced quickly at a list of names. "Now, would you please step down to allow Mrs. Eugenie Zabini a chance to speak?"

The past four hours had been a gruelling process, where everyone from both sides had been questioned over and over again. Hermione, who had to keep leaving the room due to morning sickness, was feeling exhausted and wanted nothing more than to get this over and done with. The sooner she could leave court and the Ministry, the sooner she could get home and put her feet up.

Currently, the man who had opened up the Hearing was making his closing his speech before Umbridge and the jury went out to make their final decision. The decision, unfortunately, could take up to another two hours – but at least it meant she could leave this God forsaken place for a little while.

"… remember to make your decision wisely," the man said, sending pointed looks at Umbridge and the Jury. "Make sure that favouritism and personal opinion are unable to fall into the mix; look at the facts and the notes been made." He looked around the court once more. "You may go," he said before sitting down again.

Slowly the jury and Umbridge rose from their seats, and made their way through a small door at the other end of the courtroom. Hermione watched them go, bile rising in her throat.

"Please make the right decision," she whispered, rising from her seat and grasping Draco's hand. "please may they get this marriage annulled…"

* * *

_please please please review guys!_


	10. Chapter 10

_Last Chapter: "… remember to make your decision wisely," the man said, sending pointed looks at Umbridge and the Jury. "Make sure that favouritism and personal opinion are unable to fall into the mix; look at the facts and the notes been made." He looked around the court once more. "You may go," he said before sitting down again._

_Slowly the jury and Umbridge rose from their seats, and made their way through a small door at the other end of the courtroom. Hermione watched them go, bile rising in her throat._

_"Please make the right decision," she whispered, rising from her seat and grasping Draco's hand. "please may they get this marriage annulled..."_

_

* * *

_

Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion.

Umbridge, the shadow of a smile on her face, walked back into the courtroom followed closely by the jury. Hermione watched them sit down in the seats they had previously occupied, nervously biting her lip. She turned her head to take a look at Blaise, only to find him already looking back at her. He had a smirk on his face, sending chills up Hermione's spine, and was knowingly gazing into her eyes, making it so she couldn't look away. He quickly raised both his eyebrows at her and then turned his attention to Umbridge.

The chills intensified all over Hermione's body and she quickly turned her head away and looked down at the ground, holding her breath in. Blaise knew something she didn't, and it frightened her more than anything else. She didn't know what she would do if the marriage didn't get annulled. She couldn't live with Blaise; he was cruel, heartless and cold.

Her heart belonged to Draco and it always would. She had believed, up until this point, that nothing could keep them apart; in truth, however, there was that something could. If this marriage didn't get annulled, Hermione would be stuck with Blaise for the rest of her life.

Her heart started to race as she realized what might be about to happen and she could feel tears coming to her eyes. Just as one lonely tear was about to fall down her cheek, she felt somebody grab her hand and hold onto it tightly. She quickly looked up to see Draco smiling at her – or at least trying to. His lips were curved into a perfect, reassuring smile, but his eyes held what he was truly feeling. He was scared, just like Hermione was.

"It's going to be okay," Draco said quietly. "Once this is all over we can go back to our normal lives and get ready to have our first child." He paused for a brief second, inhaling a deep breath. "Everything _is_ going to be okay."

Hermione wanted to smile back but she couldn't. Instead she just looked into his grey eyes and said the only thing that mattered: "I love you." They stared back at each other for a couple seconds more until Draco leaned in and gave her a chaste kiss on her forehead.

Hermione had no time to respond or return the gesture, because at that moment Umbridge cleared her throat, wanting the attention of the courtroom. Everybody turned to look at her, taking a seat back in their chairs.

"After many discussions and much thought going into this case, the jury and I have come to our final decision. With the case of Mr. Blaise Zabini and Ms. Hermione Granger, we have decided to _not_ annul the marriage."

There was a sudden yell of outrage coming from almost everybody on Hermione's side of the room, the most vocal of them being Harry and Ron. Hermione's breath hitched in the back of her throat as she stared down at the table, the words that Umbridge spoke replaying over and over again in her head.

She found herself looking up at Draco, but he was only staring at Umbridge with an unreadable, blank expression on his face. Hermione licked her lips nervously and gave Draco's hand a squeeze. "Draco…" She spoke his name softly, only audible to him, but Draco acted like he never even heard her speak. His eyes moved slightly at the sound of her voice, letting Hermione know that he had, in fact, heard her, but he did nothing more.

Umbridge cleared her throat again, smacking her gavel on the desk. "Order! Order! I will have order!" The room slowly died down and before long, everybody who stood, was seated again and waiting for Umbridge to continue. "Now, we didn't come to this decision lightly. After looking over the case and the evidence, we have no other choice other than to side with Mr. Zabini!"

"You lying two faced toad!" Everybody turned their heads to find Harry on his feet, pointing his finger at Umbridge. "He's guilty and you know it!"

"Mr. Potter, just because you saved the Wizarding world from Lord Voldemort doesn't give you the right to stand up in the middle of my courtroom and insult me just because you don't like the decision the court has made." Harry said nothing. Instead he just glared back at Umbridge as she did the same to him, ignoring the snickering coming from Blaise's side of the room. "Now, take a seat Mr. Potter or else I will have you arrested."

"Come on, mate." Ron said, grabbing a hold of Harry's jacket and forcing him down into his seat. "You won't be much help to Hermione when you're in a cell in Azkaban."

Harry sighed and sat down, leaning over to whisper at Ron. "We can't let her do this. Zabini is guilty. Anybody with eyes can see that."

"Harry… there's nothing we can do." Ron whispered back as Umbridge continued to talk.

"With the case of Mr. Blaise Zabini and Mrs. Hermione _Zabini_, we have reviewed the evidence carefully and have come to the conclusion that there just isn't enough evidence to prove Mr. Zabini of faking the marriage. The fact that Mrs. Zabini can't remember anything is proof enough that this marriage is real and that she is nothing more than a heartless liar." Hermione's jaw fell to the floor at Umbridge's words, and just as she was about to stand to her feet to defend herself, she felt Draco grab onto her arm and hold her down, his eyes still glued to Umbridge.

Hermione, on the other hand, wouldn't have it. She quickly pulled her arm from Draco's grasps and got to her feet. "I am not a liar and I would be damned if anybody accused me of being one!"

"Hermione – sit." Draco wrapped his hand around her wrist to pull her back down, but she quickly pulled away from his grasps and pretended she hadn't heard him.

"Anybody here in this courtroom would be able to tell you that I am _not_ a liar!"

"Mrs. Zabini, you need to take a seat." Umbridge warned.

"My name isn't Zabini!" She yelled. "It's Granger! Hermione Jean Granger, fiancé of Draco Malfoy, and a Gryffindor! The only liar in this room is that heartless man over there!" Hermione pointed over towards Blaise with her index finger. "He's a Slytherin, damn it! He's a natural born liar!"

"Mrs. Zabini you need to take a seat now before I have you arrested!"

"What about my baby!" Hermione yelled clutching her stomach. "He's already tried to kill it once!" Hermione pointed over at Blaise. "Who's to say he won't do it again!?"

"I say so!" Umbridge snapped. "And so does the court. If you were to sit down and allow me to finish you would know this."

"Hermione…." Hermione felt tears threatening to fall from her eyes as Draco grabbed onto her wrist again. He called her name softly, pleading with her to listen. "Hermione you need to sit down, please." She looked down at Draco for a couple more seconds before turning her gaze to Umbridge, then slowly taking a seat.

"Seeing as Mr. Blaise Zabini has already tried to harm you child, the court and I have come up with a way to keep your baby safe." Umbridge continued, addressing the whole courtroom. "If any more harm comes to this child in the hands of Mr. Zabini, then the court will rejoin and we will take another look at getting this marriage annulled."

Hermione bit her lips together and shook her head as she studied the table. "That's not enough," she said under her breath, tears threatening to fall once again.

"This case is now concluded!" Umbridge said, smacking her gavel on the desk and then quickly making an exit from the room.

Everybody else in the courtroom seemed to follow Umbridge's suit. Hermione and Draco slowly stood up, both turning to face each other. "It's not fair," Hermione said under her breath.

Draco tried to force a smile at Hermione, cupping the sides of her face and kissing her forehead. Hermione closed her eyes as Draco's lips touched her skin, and the first tear ran down her cheek. She wrapped her arms around his body and rested her head on his chest as Draco rubbed her back lovingly, resting his chin on the top of her head.

"It doesn't matter," Draco said softly. "I love you and no stupid law is going to change that."

"Hermione," The Gryffindor opened her eyes to see Ginny, Harry, Ron, and even Collette standing before them. "Hermione… it's going to be okay." Ginny said kindly, reaching her arms out to give her friend a hug. Hermione slowly pushed herself away from Draco to embrace all her friends. "It's _going_ to be okay." Ginny said again, sounding more like she was trying to convince herself rather than Hermione.

"I don't know Gin," Hermione said sadly as Draco came up behind Hermione and wrapped his arm around her waist lovingly. "I just can't see a positive side to this."

"Oi, Malfoy! Get your hands off my wife!" Everybody turned their heads to see none other than Blaise Zabini walking towards them with a smug look on his face. Following closely behind him were Pansy, Theodore Nott, and Blaise's own mother. "You have no right to touch what's rightfully mine." Blaise said with a smirk.

"I'll give you what's rightfully yours, you Fucking Prick!" Draco yelled, letting go of Hermione and charging at Blaise. Blaise, who had seen it coming, quickly dodged Draco's grasps as Harry and Ron each got a hold of Draco's shoulder, holding him back. "Let me go!" Draco yelled, thrashing to get out of Harry and Ron's grip. "I'm going to ruin your life just like you ruined mine, you Son of a Bitch!"

Blaise let out a chuckle, just standing out of Draco's reach. "You shouldn't call my mother names when she's standing right here, Draco. It's not very nice." Blaise let out another small chuckle as he watched Draco boil with anger, still trying to fight off Harry and Ron's hold on him, before turning to Hermione. "As for you, _Mrs. Zabini_, I'm guessing you'll want time to pack before you relocate to the Zabini Manor?" Hermione glared at him, using everything she had to not murder the man in front of her. "I'll be picking you up at your place tomorrow afternoon. Twenty four hours should be enough time, right _Darling_?" Blaise smirked at her, bringing his hand up and grazing it along her cheek.

Hermione stepped back quickly and then…

SMACK!

Her hand had made contact with Blaise's cheek in lightning speed, catching him completely off guard. "You're a Bastard, Zabini," Hermione said through her teeth and Blaise glared back at her.

Blaise cleared his throat, giving Draco, who was no longer fighting to get free from Harry and Ron, a glare, before, once again, turning back to Hermione. "I'll be seeing you tomorrow afternoon at your home, then."

Hermione shook her head and then took a step back, grabbing Draco's hand. "_Our_ home."

Blaise glared at them all one more time before quickly storming out of the courtroom, followed closely by Pansy, Theo, and his mother.

With Blaise now gone, Ron and Harry released their grip on Draco, allowing him to wrap his arms around Hermione. "Come on, Love." He said in her ear. "Let's go home."

* * *

Both Draco and Hermione arrived back at their flat in silence. They held onto each other tightly, but no words were said; none needed to be said really. Both of them knew they had just lost each other for the rest of their lives and neither of them wanted to talk about it, even though that was what was on both of their minds. They had lost the case, and now only had twenty four hours left to be together.

"I'll – I'll go make us some tea," Draco said, releasing his grip on Hermione's hand and making his way towards the kitchen.

"Okay…" Hermione said under her breath, slowly making her way towards the living room. As she entered the room, her eyes fell on the photographs lining the walls and the fireplace. She smiled despite herself as she approached them, looking up into the faces of her family and friends. She walked silently by the photos, the tips of her fingers running along the bottom of the frames, only pausing when she reached the fireplace.

Before her was one of her favourite pictures, which would explain why it was in the centre. It was of her and Draco, and both of them were smiling up at the camera; they were sitting out on the porch of Harry's house, snuggled up close on a bench that hung freely from the ceiling. Draco was sitting straight, while Hermione's legs lay over the top of his, her body resting against his side. Draco's hands rested on her legs, whilst one of Hermione's was wrapped around his shoulder and the other rested on his chest. They would stare at the camera, then turn and look at each other with smiles on their faces, sharing a small chaste kiss.

Hermione let out a tiny, sad laugh as a tear ran down her cheek. She then brought her hand up to the picture and rested it next to Draco. "I love you."

She didn't know how long she stood there, gazing into the picture which was taken back when everything was okay and normal, but next thing she knew, she heard Draco call her name. "Hermione, are you okay?" She slowly turned her head to see Draco approaching her, two cups of tea in his hand.

"Yeah," Hermione breathed, forcing a smile for Draco. He forced one back, handing her a cup of tea when he reached her. "Thanks," She spoke softly, the sadness starting to take over.

Draco wrapped an arm around Hermione and kissed the side of her head before looking at the same picture as she. "I love this picture," Draco said, running his hand down it just like Hermione had. "It was… easy then."

"Back then we thought we had the rest of our lives together," Hermione sighed, turning away from the picture and making her way towards the couch. "Now we have less than a day." As she spoke, she sank down to the edge of the couch, gripping her tea cup with both her hands and staring down into the brown liquid. Draco watched her sadly before joining her. He rested a hand on her back and rubbed it in circles gently. "It's just not fair." Draco leaned back in his seat and then grabbed Hermione's hand, bringing her back as well.

"I know, Love," Draco said softly as Hermione sat back with him, bringing her legs over his and resting her head on his chest, just like she did in the picture. "We'll just have to make the rest of today count."

"But that's just not enough, Draco," Hermione whispered as he brought his hand around her back, bringing her closer to him. "We were supposed to spend the rest of our lives together." Draco sighed through his nose, kissing Hermione on the top of her head as she ran her fingers along the top of the tea cup. "We practically planned our whole lives together just for somebody to come and tear it all to shreds."

"He didn't tear one thing to shreds." Draco said quietly, staring off into the ashes of the fire.

"What's that?" Hermione asked, looking up at Draco.

Draco slowly looked down at her, a small smile on his face. "This," He spoke softly, placing a hand on Hermione's lower stomach. "He can never take our child away from us."

Hermione smiled back at Draco, giving him a kiss on the lips before placing her hand on her stomach as well, directly next to Draco's. "Just imagine how perfect our lives would have been with our child if Blaise hadn't come and ruined everything."

Draco let out a small chuckle. "We would have raised it together."

"And we would have been brilliant at it as well." Hermione leaned her head back on Draco's chest, placing her tea on the coffee table. "Our baby would have had amazing manners, a kind smile, and an amazing personality."

"Try not to turn it into that much of a Gryffindor, Love," Draco said, pulling a small face before twisting his lips upwards. "I still have a Slytherin reputation to uphold."

Hermione let out a laugh. "We both know you're really not a Slytherin at heart Draco." Draco just shrugged, kissing Hermione on the top of her head. "Besides, our child could have picked whatever house it wanted. It wouldn't have to listen to us."

"It would be brilliant no matter what," Draco added. "Just like you."

Hermione smiled up at Draco. "And then it would have graduated from Hogwarts with perfect marks, and then going on to become the best witch or wizard in the world."

"Right next to you of course," Draco laughed, gaining a small kiss from Hermione.

"And I'd drag you with me." Hermione licked her lips and turned her head so it was facing the pictures that lined the walls again. "We could have spent the rest of our lives together doing whatever we wanted and watching our child grow to become the witch or wizard we always dreamed of raising." They sat in silence for a few more seconds, just enjoying each other's presence, until Hermione spoke again. "We could have spent every day doing exactly what we're doing right now."

"Just lying together on the couch and talking?" Draco asked.

"Yeah," Hermione said in a sad voice. "Exactly…"

Draco gave Hermione another kiss on the top of her head. "That sounds like a great idea."

And the couple did just that. They stayed on the couch for the rest of the night, eventually falling asleep by the warm fire. But what they did for the rest of the night or where they fell asleep, didn't matter to them anymore. All they wanted to be was with each other, wrapped tightly in the arms of the person they loved. Together, they both fell asleep with their hands pressed against Hermione's stomach, with both Draco and Hermione hoping to wake up and realize that there was nobody by the name of Blaise Zabini and that everything had just been one big nightmare….

* * *

_Hello everybody!_

_I hope you liked the chapter, especially since it was the first chapter since Vicky stopped writing!_

_Thanks to those who reviewed last chapter! I would thank you all personally like I usually do, but fanfiction keeps messing up what i write (this is the fourth time i've written this authors note, just to give you an idea), so i dont want to take chances by typing a lot and then it just deleting it in a couple minutes. _

_Let me and Vicky know what you thought in a review please! We are dying to know what you thought of Umbridge's decision :)_


	11. Chapter 11

_Hello everybody! Here's chapter eleven and the start of some major drama!_

_Thanks to those who reviewed last chapter:  
David Fishwick: You and everybody else lol  
ness171990: you're on the right track :)  
mayajane: it is horrible, but i hope you're liking the story  
greenharper: lol no there wouldn't be a plot.  
Dramione03: im happy you like it!  
mjmusiclover: it is a nightmare, but im happy you enjoy it  
dracomalfoyswifey: lol but if they ran away there wouldn't be a plot ;)  
dinos-are-cool: and theres so much more to come  
HCO love xx: here you go!  
sunshine21409: me to, but it needs to happen for the story  
ilovefireyredheads: lol im with you on that one, unfortunately... its not my decision since the original author is still feeding me the plot. but dont worry, i'll pass along the message :)_

_Thanks again to all those who reviewed and remember to do the same this time!_

_

* * *

_

_Last Chapter "Just lying together on the couch and talking?" Draco asked._

_"Yeah," Hermione said in a sad voice. "Exactly…"_

_Draco gave Hermione another kiss on the top of her head. "That sounds like a great idea."_

_And the couple did just that. They stayed on the couch for the rest of the night, eventually falling asleep by the warm fire. But what they did for the rest of the night or where they fell asleep, didn't matter to them anymore. All they wanted to be was with each other, wrapped tightly in the arms of the person they loved. Together, they both fell asleep with their hands pressed against Hermione's stomach, with both Draco and Hermione hoping to wake up and realize that there was nobody by the name of Blaise Zabini and that everything had just been one big nightmare…._

* * *

She could feel the morning sun beating against her eyelids, yet she refused to open them. The warm body pressed against her back was breathing normally and Hermione knew Draco was awake, simply waiting for her to wake up as the time they had left together slowly slipped away. She sighed quietly, feeling the blond tense up at the sight of her consciousness. As she cuddled closer towards him, nuzzling her head in the crook of his neck, she felt a hand run down her brown curly locks of hair.

With another sigh, she finally opened her eyes, landing on Draco's grey orbs as she lightly kissed his chin. "Tell me it's not morning already." Draco didn't respond, instead he just stared back at Hermione sadly. Slowly, Hermione brought her hand up and rested it on Draco's cheek. "This isn't goodbye," she spoke softly, barely a whisper. "It can't be."

Draco tried to force a smile but Hermione could tell he didn't have it in him… not today at least. He sighed before speaking. "It's almost eleven. Zabini will be here soon." He paused. "You're not even packed yet."

"I don't care."

"You should." Draco pushed Hermione's legs off him and successfully got out from under her. "Who knows what will happen if Zabini doesn't get his way." Draco stood up, making his way towards the kitchen, speaking as he walked. "Do you want some tea?"

"Draco…." Hermione stood up, watching the blond stop, his back still facing her. "Please, don't be like this."

The room was silent. Draco's answer was to continue walking, leaving Hermione's sight within seconds. Forcing the tears back, she retreated to their room to pack her belongings.

This was hard, for both of them. Hermione had to keep reminding herself that although she was losing Draco, she was still connected with him through their child. Draco, on the other hand, lost them both; everything that meant something to him was about to be taken from him in less than an hour. Although Hermione knew this, and was aware of Draco giving her the cold shoulder in the attempt to stay strong, it didn't help her Gryffindor courage one bit.

* * *

She retreated down the stairs, two bags magically floating behind her as she carried the third. She walked down slowly, placing her bags by the door as she passed it, before heading into the kitchen. She found Draco sitting at the table, a hand running through his hair as the other gripped a mug of tea.

Hermione watched him as he sat without moving. His head was lowered to the table, resting on his hands as his elbows sat on the table top; his eyes were closed and the knuckles on the hand that gripped his cup were white as snow. Hermione studied him closer and upon doing so, realized that there were small tears lining the table.

Draco had been crying.

She licked her lips, feeling her heart break with every step she took towards Draco. She walked quietly, so as not to disturb him, but his head quickly shot up, eyes a bloodshot red and trails of tears running down his cheeks.

He cleared his throat, quickly wiping the tears from his face and looking Hermione in the eyes as she reached him. He stood up, staring at the brunette before him, not sure what to say. "I –"

"I love you, Draco." The words were released from her lips as the tears began to fall, and Hermione found herself being brought into Draco's embrace. Her tears stained his shirt as she silently cried.

Draco cried as well; the walls which had taken years to be put up, were finally crumbling down. He loved her, God damn it, and he wasn't going to spend the last minutes they had together giving her the silent treatment. "I love you so much," Draco whispered back as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

"You promise?"

"That's a promise I _can't_ break, Hermione, and one that Zabini can't stop me from making." The Gryffindor continued to cry onto Draco's chest, his words giving her a strength to push on and to believe that everything was going to be okay.

"We'll be okay… right Draco?" She asked. "This isn't the end, is it?"

"Hermione –" The door bell rang; interrupting what Draco was about to say and sending chills up his and Hermione's spines. Neither of them moved. They both remained in each other's arms, looking out towards the kitchen and just listening to each other's heart beat. Hermione nearly jumped when the door bell rang again.

Zabini was here…

Their time was over.

Rubbing her back soothingly, Draco forced a smile at Hermione. "I better answer it before he breaks down the door."

Hermione nodded slowly, allowing Draco to peel himself away from her before he left the room to answer the door. She quickly pulled herself together before going to follow Draco; she wasn't going to allow Zabini the satisfaction of knowing how much emotional pain she was actually in.

"About time you answered the bloody door," Zabini snapped as he made to take a step into their home.

Draco, however, pushed him back, "I didn't invite you in."

"My _wife_ is in there, Malfoy."

"Your '_wife'_ will be ready to go when she's done getting all her stuff together. There's no need for _you_ to come into _our_ home."

"Perhaps I wanted to assist _my_ wife."

"She doesn't need your assistance, Zabini. Besides, you've done enough." Draco said through his teeth.

Blaise glared back. "I would watch your attitude, Malfoy; a mouth like that might land you a pretty little cell in Azkaban. One could only image what it's like raising a child from prison. It might just be enough to send the custody of your child into the arms of the man who married the Bastard's mother."

Draco took a step towards Blaise, daring him with his eyes to strike back. "Don't _ever_ call my child a Bastard again, Zabini."

"Keep that hole in your face closed, and your wand in your pocket, and maybe I wouldn't have to speak what will one day come true."

"Your threats are making that hard to happen," Draco fingered the wand in his pocket, finding it harder and harder not to risk a life in Azkaban just to see this man fall to the ground without a beating heart.

"Go ahead, Malfoy," Zabini leered. "I dare you."

"Draco, _no_!" Hermione quickly jumped in, grabbing Draco's hand and forcing him behind her. She glared at Blaise before turning back to the angry blond. "What good would it do?" She asked him.

"This… _monster_ would be out of our lives."

"And you'd be giving him exactly what he wants." Hermione spoke so only Draco could hear her. "If you kill him, even _hurt_ him, you'll be spending life behind bars. You'll be out of my life for good, and that's _all he wants_."

"He wants _you_, Hermione. He could honestly care less if I go to prison; he's already getting what he wants."

"He doesn't have me, Draco." Hermione was trying to calm him down, and stop him from breaking apart. He had always been the strong one, the one to hold her hand and pretend that everything was okay even when it really wasn't. Seeing him fall apart like this only made her see that everything wasn't okay, and it only made her weaker. If he lost it, she would lose it completely. "He may have me because of this stupid fake marriage, but that's it. He doesn't have my heart Draco… you do."

Tears welled up in Draco's eyes and he quickly grabbed Hermione and wrapped her in a hug, kissing the top of her head and ignoring the protest from Zabini. "I love you, Hermione."

"Don't forget me…" Hermione said, tears now running down her cheeks as she broke apart from Draco.

"That's not even possible."

"Oh, _please_! Will you two just stop with all the lovey dovey _bullshit_?" Blaise snapped. "You had plenty of time to say goodbye last night! Now grab your bags and let's go!"

Hermione turned to glare at Blaise before turning back to Draco. She placed a hand on his chest and forced a smile at him. Standing on her tip-toes she slowly gave Draco one more small chaste kiss on the lips. "Goodbye," She said in a whisper, turning around to face Blaise.

She grabbed her bags, getting help from Zabini, and started following him out the door. She wanted to look back, to get one more look at Draco before she would disappear to the cold home of Blaise Zabini forever, but she couldn't. If she did she wouldn't have the strength to even carry her bags across the lawn.

Just as she reached the middle of the walkway, she heard Draco call her name. "Hermione! Wait!" She quickly spun around to see Draco disappear from the door frame then reappear within seconds. When she saw him approaching her, she dropped her bags and walked towards him as well. When they were right in front of each other, Hermione saw what Draco was carrying, and it make her gasps as fresh tears fell from her eyes.

"Our picture..."

The same picture that sat above the fireplace was now in Draco's hand. "It's your favourite."

"It is."

"I – I charmed it so it doesn't move anymore. I've never really seen a muggle picture before, but I like it."

"Draco –"

"Your eyes sparkle when you look at the camera lens, and I can tell that you're happy. And me…" He had to pause to catch his breath. Draco's heart was racing to a tenfold. "Hermione I love you so much and this picture is proof of that. I want you to take it."

"Draco, I –"

"Take it. And whenever that sorry Son-Of-A-Bitch makes you unhappy, just look at this picture and remember us when we were happy. Remember how much I love you."

Hermione crashed her lips onto Draco, and he kissed her back, with fervour pulling her closer towards him as they did so. She ran her hands through his hair as he grabbed her waist. They kissed passionately, wanting nothing more than to stay in this moment, in each other's arms, forever and forget that any of this ever happened…

However, their kiss was short lived...

Blaise was soon tearing them apart, grabbing onto Hermione's wrist and pulling her back towards her suitcases. Draco had just enough time to put the frame in Hermione's hand before she was out of his reach.

With a flick of his wand, Blaise made Hermione's suitcases disappear, still dragging her to the end of the sidewalk; when they were finally beyond the wards of the house, Blaise apparated the two of them away. Draco watched them disappear with a _'pop'_ before falling on his knees in the grass and laying his head in his hands.

She was gone.

Hermione was gone, and there was nothing he could do about it…

* * *

Hermione managed to escape the grip Blaise had on her wrist a second too late. The pressure from the unexpected apparation sent her falling to the ground the second her feet touched the floor; with her hands and knees on the ground, she began to vomit what was left in her stomach from the night before. After a couple heaves, she finally stood up, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

"I don't think I've ever seen such an experienced witch vomit after apparating," Blaise said, smirking at Hermione.

The brunette glared at him. "Maybe if _you_ hadn't dragged me from my home so forcefully, I wouldn't have vomited."

Blaise laughed. "If you weren't sucking face with the blond git I wouldn't have had to drag you."

"I'm allowed to 'suck face' with whoever I please."

"Not anymore," Blaise spat. "Malfoy might have been okay with you snogging other men, but I'm not. Seeing as you're _my_ wife, I don't want to see it again." They glared at each other for a couple minutes until Blaise finally started heading up towards the Manor. "Come on," He yelled for her to follow him.

Hermione sighed, and then reluctantly followed him towards her new home. It reminded Hermione of Malfoy Manor only more gloomy looking and dark. She wondered if this had anything to do with the fact that she wanted nothing more than to not walk through those doors again, but she doubted it. They approached the front door and Blaise pushed it open, revealing a foyer with a ceiling that rose a of couple stories and a huge walkway. Hermione figured you could fit The Burrow in this room alone. As she looked around, she heard Blaise laugh and immediately saw him smirking at her. "I see you like it."

Hermione scoffed in disgust. "I've never seen a place as homey as this one," She said, her voice thick with sarcasm.

"It'll grow on you." Blaise said as his smirked dropped to a frown. "Come, I'll give you a proper tour since you left in such a rush last time." He didn't wait for Hermione to answer, instead walked away quickly. He showed her the whole house; from the dungeons all the way to the top floor balcony and from the greenhouse to the library. After taking her everywhere, he finally led her down a hallway and opened the last door on the right. He held the door open for Hermione and ushered her inside. She looked around what she guessed was her room, spotting her bags at the foot of the bed. "This is your room… for now."

Hermione spun around to face him. "What do you mean, 'for now'?"

Blaise smirked, taking a couple steps closer to Hermione. "Did you actually think I wouldn't want to share a room with my wife?" He asked in a light whisper.

"I'm not sleeping anywhere near you Zabini, so just forget it." She spat.

"You're my wife now, Hermione. You'll do as I say."

Hermione laughed. "You can't force me to do anything."

"Actually… I can." He said as he continued to smirk at her. "And unless you want your life here to be a living hell, you'll be a good wife and do exactly what I say, starting with getting rid of that picture."

Blaise pointed to the picture Hermione now had pressed against her chest as she stared at him. She wouldn't let him have it, she couldn't. "I'm not getting rid of it," She said in a tiny, protective voice.

Blaise laughed. "_Right_," he said, eyes glinting with malice. "Just like you won't sleep with me…?"

The idea of Blaise taking away the only thing she had of her and Draco, as well as the fact that he was controlling her like this, made Hermione's blood boil with anger and her body shake with a strange form of fear. It made her fight back against the Slytherin twice as hard. "You can't force me to sleep with you and you can't force me to get rid of this picture! I may be your wife according to the ministry and according to that damned marriage certificate, but you will never truly have my heart!" Hermione paused to take a breath. "That will always belong to the one I truly love. My heart will always belong to Draco, and there's nothing you or anybody else can do to change that!"

Blaise looked caught off guard, but it only lasted for a second. "I _thought_ you were intelligent," He said as his smirk slowly grew back. "I can have your heart with one simple potion."

Hermione laughed back. "Amortentia doesn't create real love, you Idiot. It creates powerful infatuations… obsessions… not love."

"I'd rather have that then nothing." Blaise snapped, quickly becoming angry. "At least you'd forget about Malfoy."

Hermione shook her head. "You're just wasting your time. Draco and I will always been connected by the child that we're having." She placed a hand on her stomach. "No spell or potion can change that."

Hermione watched as his anger grew to its peak, and she stared back at him, waiting for him to say something. No words came. Instead, Blaise stepped towards Hermione quickly, causing her to cover her face in the fear that Blaise was going to strike her. Before she could react, Hermione felt the picture being ripped from her hands and she watched, almost in slow motion, as Blaise put the frame up in the air then slammed it to the ground. She heard the frame break and looked down at the broken glass and now bent picture. One stray tear ran down Hermione's cheek as she heard Blaise speak.

"There is no more Malfoy in your life, so forget he ever existed! You maybe have his child but I have you, and that will never change!" His voice was full of venom and Hermione only looked up at him when she heard him grab the door. "You have two days. In two days, you _will_ share a bad with me and that's final!" The walls shook as Blaise slammed the door and Hermione found herself falling to her knees before the picture.

She lifted the back of the frame up and pushed aside the broken glass, picking up just the picture. She studied the front, looking into Draco's eyes and whishing he was here now. As a tear fell down her cheek, she turned the picture over and to her surprise saw writing on the back. Her heart skipped a beat when she realized it was Draco's curvy script.

_Hermione,_

_I need you to know that I love you. I also need you to stay strong… no matter what. I may not be there in body but I'm there in your heart. You need to stay strong for our child and you need to stay strong for us. I love you too much to let this be the end and I need you to believe that as well. Don't let him bring you down. You're an amazing person… my soul mate, and I love you more than ever before. Please… don't ever forget that._

_All my heart,_

_Draco _

Tears ran down her cheeks again as Hermione stared at his letter. She needed to stay strong; it was the only way to pull through this. She sighed and wiped her tears away before pulling out her wand. "R-Repairo." She watched the picture frame fix itself and placed the picture back inside. Standing up, she made her way to the bed and rested her back on the head board. With a hand on her stomach and her other hand gripping the picture she slowly fell into a dream land, the only place her and Draco could be together.

* * *

The sudden knock on the door almost sent Draco falling from his chair at the kitchen table. It had come so unexpected that the mug he had in his hand had fallen over on the table, the tea that once occupied the cup running over the edges of the table and hitting the floor. "Shit." Draco quickly stood up from his chair and ran over to the counter to grab some paper towels. As he started to mop up the tea, a second knock came, forcing Draco to clean up the liquid with more paper towels. He was so busy concentrating on cleaning up the mess he made, the thought never crossed his mind that he was a wizard and could have had the tea cleaned up with a flick on his wand.

A third, loud, and impatient knock sounded at the door just as Draco was tossing the wet paper towels in the trash. "I'm coming," he yelled as he took long strides to reach the door. He wiped the tea that resided on his hands onto his pants and then quickly rubbed any remaining tears from his face. He didn't want whoever was on the other side of the door to know that he had been crying. Gripping the handle, he quickly turned it and opened the door to come face to face with who was visiting him.

"Oh, it's just you guys."

Standing before him were the people who, even to his surprise, he had come to rely on the most. Harry stood in front of the group, his hand clasped with Ginny's, who was stood next to him and holding onto their son, James. Standing behind Ginny stood Ron, a goofy grin on his face as he stood shoulder to shoulder with Collette. Standing in-between Ron and Collette was Maggie, a wide and beautiful smile on her face as her dark red hair blew in the wind. "Of course it's us," Harry said with a smile. "Did you think we were Zabini?"

Draco rubbed the back of his neck with his hand and exhaled a deep breath. "Not unless you were coming to bring back Hermione."

Everybody's face fell at what Draco had said. "You mean… she's…"

"Yeah… Zabini already came."

"We hoped to catch her before she left." Collette suddenly said.

"Yeah, we wanted to say goodbye." Ginny finished, looking sadly and knowingly at Draco. "Are you okay, Malfoy?"

Draco quickly swallowed the ball that was starting to grow in his throat and blinked, fighting back the tears. "Do you all want to come inside? I can make some tea." He forced a smile despite himself and opened the door more, stepping aside so everybody could come in. Once everybody was inside, Draco directed them to take a seat in the living room and then headed for the kitchen to make tea.

It was obvious to anybody that walked into the kitchen that he was a mess. He almost burnt himself getting the stove ready for the tea and upon getting tea cups out for everybody, Draco had successfully knocked one from the cabinet and sent it falling to the ground and shattering. Before he even had time to grab his wand to repair the damage, he felt a warm hand touch his upper arm and froze in his spot.

Slowly turning, he came face to face with a set of kind brown eyes looking deeply into his silver. "Malfoy, why don't you let me make the tea?" Ginny said.

Draco tried to force a smile. "No, really, Ginny." He turned back to the cabinet and reached for another cup. "I can handle it." As he spoke, his shaking hands knocked over another cup, this one landing right into Ginny's reach.

Draco sighed, looking at Ginny when he realized that the cup hadn't hit the floor and shattered. "No, Draco." The use of his first name let Draco know that she wasn't kidding. "I'm sorry, but you really can't handle this. Not right now. Right now you need to go out there and spend some time with your friends." She paused, watching as Draco slowly started to come to the understanding that she was right and he needed to stop denying what everybody else could already see. "We may not be losing our fiancé to a complete ass, but we are losing one of our best friends, a person who we keep just as close to our hearts as you do." She spoke the next part in a small whisper, a smile on her face. "You need us Draco, whether you want us or not."

Draco sighed then nodded. "Tea cups are in this cabinet, the milk's in the fridge, and the sugar is next to the stove." Ginny nodded at him and Draco turned to leave. Just as he was about to walk out the kitchen, he turned back to Ginny. "Oh, and the spoon for the sugar is in the silverware drawer. It was belonged to Claire, Hermione's Mum, though, so be careful because she holds it close to her heart."

Ginny smiled at Draco. "I'll be careful."

Draco nodded back and then exited the kitchen, taking a seat in one of the unoccupied recliners. It wasn't long before there were three sets of worried eyes looking in his direction. As he looked back up into Harry, Ron, and Collette's eyes, he wondered if his pain was really that visible. Draco sighed, putting his elbows on his knees and resting his head in his hands, running his fingers through his hair. He closed his eyes, fighting back the tears as images of Hermione danced behind his eye lids. Just when he felt like he was about to lose it in front of everybody, he felt a small finger poking his shoulder.

He looked up, his eyes landing right on one blue and one green eye, a tiny yet comforting smile on Maggie's face. "Your name is Draco, right?" She asked.

"Yeah," Draco said with a nod.

"Ron told me that you and Mimi are in love. Is that true?" Draco couldn't help but laugh slightly at the little girls question and for the way she had to say Hermione's name. He nodded his head in response. "Is Mimi here?" She asked, looking around. "I really want to meet Mimi."

"Sorry, kiddo." Draco said kindly. "Hermione's not going to be back for a long time."

Maggie suddenly looked upset. "Is that why you're so sad?" What was left of a smile on Draco's face faded as he nodded at the little girl. If she was able to tell that he was upset about this then everybody else was able to tell too. "What happened?"

"Uh…." Draco looked up at Ron and Collette only to see them staring back at him, neither jumping in to help him with the situation or protesting that he shouldn't tell her the truth. "Well, there's this bad man and he… tricked Hermione into getting married to him."

"He tricked her?" Maggie asked, her mouth now open slightly with shock.

"Yeah, and now because of that Hermione had to go and live with the bad man and none of us are allowed to see her anymore."

"But-But Mimi doesn't love this bad man, right?"

"No."

Maggie was suddenly smiling. "Then don't be sad Draco." She said in a cheerful voice. When Draco looked at her confused, she continued. "If Mimi doesn't love him, then she loves you, and everything will be okay." Draco couldn't help but smile this time. He knew that what Maggie was saying had some truth to it, he just wished that it was only as easy as she made it sound.

"Thank you Maggie." He said as Maggie suddenly wrapped her arms around Draco in a hug, and then walked back over to sit on her mum's lap.

"So… what happened exactly?" Harry asked adjusting his hold on James, as Ginny entered the room with the tea. "What happened when Zabini came?"

"He came over and tried to come inside, but I pushed him out, telling him he wasn't welcome into our home." Draco paused. "I don't think he liked that very much because he started to turn nasty."

"Nasty?" Ron asked.

"He threatened me to the point of where I almost hexed him. If it wasn't for Hermione stepping in I would probably be in Azkaban for murder right now."

"Malfoy… if he threatened you we could probably get him on some charges and send him to Azkaban himself."

Draco shook his head. "You don't know Zabini, Potter. He's a slippery little snake and he'll find a way out of anything. It'll only give him the satisfaction and boost of ego that he's unstoppable when it comes to keeping Hermione." Draco stopped talking for almost a second, then continued in hopes that he wouldn't have to retell this story after today. It killed him enough just thinking about it. "After Hermione stopped me from attacking Zabini, she really had no choice but to go. We kissed one more time and then Zabini literally dragged her away from me and apparated before I could do anything else." Draco left out the part about the picture frame on purpose. He figured it was one of the last moments that he and Hermione had shared together and one that he wanted to keep inside of his head rather then tell the whole world about it.

"Don't worry," Ron said, breaking the suddenly silence that fell over the crowd. "Hermione's an amazing witch and she can handle anything that comes her way. Remember in first year, Harry, when she conjured up the fire so that we could all escape the Devil's Snare?"

Harry laughed. "Yeah, although she almost lost it at first. Remember when she said that she didn't have any wood to light?" Harry and Ron both started laughing at the memory. "And second year when she discovered that it was a basilisk inside of The Chamber of Secrets all by herself."

Ron laughed. "And then don't forget when she made the Polyjuice Potion for us so we could sneak into the Slytherin Common Room, and interrogate Malfoy over there."

"You did _what_?" Draco asked, raising an eyebrow at the Gryffindor's in front of him. "_You_ interrogated _me_ in my _own_ Common Room?"

"Yes… well, we had our reasons." Ron said, finding it hard to hide his smile.

"Like what?"

"'You'll be next Mudbloods'." Harry mimicked with a laugh. "You were a very good candidate for Slytherin's heir at the time."

"Well, who did you interrogate me as?" Draco asked complete baffled that he never caught on.

"Crabbe and Goyle. You weren't exactly friends with the most intelligent of people Malfoy."

"And then Hermione accidentally put cat hair inside of her potion and turned into a cat." Ron said with a laugh. "It took forever for her to lose her tail. She was in the hospital wing for weeks."

"I remember that. All the Slytherin's thought she had been petrified, and that the school was trying to hush it all up." Draco said. "She was really a cat?"

"Whiskers and everything." They all laughed at the thought of Hermione being a cat.

"Remember when she slapped Malfoy third year?" Ron asked as Harry nodded.

"I honestly think after she slapped me I gained a pinch of respect for her." Draco sighed. "It took guts to do that."

"It was better the second time seeing it." Harry said with a snort. The group continued to talk about Hermione and the memories they had with her until they couldn't think of anymore. At around three, James started to get fussy and Maggie was stating that she was bored from all the 'grown up talk', so the group decided to leave. Draco opened the door to let them out, saying goodbye and thanks to each person as they left. The last person to leave the house was Harry, and he turned to Draco before exiting completely. "Look Malfoy, I can't image how hard this must be for you but you have to stay positive. You need to have faith in Hermione and you have to know that everything is going to be okay." Draco nodded. "Hermione's a strong and amazing witch. She can handle anything that Zabini throws at her."

"Thanks Potter."

"And you know if you need anything all you have to do is owl," Ginny said, coming back to stand by her husband. "We'll be over here quicker than you can say apparation."

"Thanks, but I'll be okay. I'm actually going to leave the house for a few days." Draco said, surprising Harry and Ginny. "I'm going to go spend some time with my mum and just clear my head from this whole mess. I just need some time to think all this over away from where Hermione and I lived together." Draco turned to look back inside. "There are just too many memories here."

Draco turned back to Harry when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Harry looked at him with understanding and patted his shoulder. "Don't disappear for too long, okay?"

Draco nodded back and watched as Harry turned his back to leave with his family. Once everybody had apparated away, Draco shut the front door and locked it. He stood there with his back to the door for a couple minutes until he finally gave into his tears. The thoughts of Hermione came flooding back to him and he slowly fell the floor, wanting nothing more then to have her back in his arms once more.

As he continued to cry, he managed to barely speak through his tears. "Oh Merlin, Hermione," He sobbed. "I can't do this. I miss you and… I can't live without you."

* * *

The full moon shone through the window to her bedroom, lighting up her face as a small tear ran down her cheek. Sitting on the windowsill and with her back against the window frame, she rested her head on the glass and looked out into the never ending sky, her mind trailing off to her friends and family that she would probably never see again.

Another lonely tear fell, and she let it fall as she tore her eyes from the window and looked down at the picture of her and Draco. Sobbing, she placed a hand on her lower stomach and turned back to the window, silent tears now freely falling from her face.

As the midnight moon shone into her room and lit up her big brown eyes, she spoke the one thing that had been on her mind since she first arrived at Zabini Manor. "I miss you, Draco," she choked out. "I miss you so much…."

* * *

_remember to review please!_


	12. Chapter 12

_So so so so so sorry for the huge delay on getting this chapter up. Unfortunately, when there are two people working on a story together, things tend to take a little longer then usual. But even though they take longer, they are two times as awesome! ;D_

_Thanks to those who reviewed last chapter:  
dracomalfoyswifey: lol i wish blaise would disappear forever... but then there wouldnt be a story :)  
ilovefireyredheads: lol idk why they do but thats so true!  
Poison94IvY: im so glad you like it.  
Irmorena: haha im in for butt kicking time!  
David Fishwick: thanks for the compliment!  
mjmusiclover: thanks and me to :(  
mayajane: it is depressing, but hopefully things will get better.  
dinos-are-cool.: im really glad you liked maggie.  
Weaselbee: good idea. i'll keep that in mind.  
ness171990: i do as well.  
HCO lovee xx: thanks a bunch!_

_

* * *

_

Last Chapter: Draco nodded back and watched as Harry turned his back to leave with his family. Once everybody had apparated away, Draco shut the front door and locked it. He stood there with his back to the door for a couple minutes until he finally gave into his tears. The thoughts of Hermione came flooding back to him and he slowly fell the floor, wanting nothing more then to have her back in his arms once more.

_As he continued to cry, he managed to barely speak through his tears. "Oh Merlin, Hermione," He sobbed. "I can't do this. I miss you and… I can't live without you."_

_***_

_The full moon shone through the window to her bedroom, lighting up her face as a small tear ran down her cheek. Sitting on the windowsill and with her back against the window frame, she rested her head on the glass and looked out into the never ending sky, her mind trailing off to her friends and family that she would probably never see again._

_Another lonely tear fell, and she let it fall as she tore her eyes from the window and looked down at the picture of her and Draco. Sobbing, she placed a hand on her lower stomach and turned back to the window, silent tears now freely falling from her face._

_As the midnight moon shone into her room and lit up her big brown eyes, she spoke the one thing that had been on her mind since she first arrived at Zabini Manor. "I miss you, Draco," she choked out. "I miss you so much…."_

* * *

Twelve

_She pushed through the doors of St. Mungo's, tears running down her cheeks as her heart beat against her chest and her lungs screamed for more air. Her feet carried her at a full sprint as she ran past Healers and patients. There was blood on her hands and shirt, but she didn't care. Rounding a corner she stopped immediately._

_ Lying on an operating table, his bruised and bloody body surrounded by healers, was Draco. Without thinking, Hermione ran at a full sprint towards him. _

_"Draco!"_ _ She cried his name, grabbing onto his hand as tears ran down her cheeks. Just as she was about to crash her lips down on his and tell him everything was going to be okay, she felt one of the healers pull her back. _

_"Let me go! Let me see my husband!" She screamed, kicking and squirming in the healer's arms as he lifted her in the air and pulled her away from Draco. As she fought the healer, her attention stayed on Draco, and she noticed for the first time, just how bad the damage to his body really was. _

_He had several bruises all over his body, a broken nose that caused blood to run down the side of his face, and three stab wounds in his chest. Whoever had attacked him had obviously caught him by surprise, leaving him no time to defend himself, attacking him quickly in the most muggle way possible. _

_ Hermione's breath caught in her throat when the heart monitor suddenly let out one long, loud beep signalling the stopping of Draco's heart. _

_"No…" Hermione gasped out breathlessly, her strength leaving her as Draco's heart stopped. Her body felt numb with shock, and her head throbbed in denial. Draco couldn't die like this; he couldn't leave her like this. He just **couldn't**. _

_Hermione's head fell, tears falling from her eyes and hitting the hospital floor as someone spoke into her ear: "He's dead Hermione." Tears suddenly ceased to fall from her eyes as she recognized the voice of the healer who was restraining her. The only thing was… he wasn't a healer. "He's gone and he's never coming back." _

_She turned in the man's arms, placing the palms of her hands on his chest and pushed away; her tear stained brown eyes locking with the smirk that belonged to none other than Blaise Zabini._

_"You – you killed him," Hermione accused, slowly backing away from him as he approached her. When her back hit a table and she wasn't able to lengthen her distance between herself and Zabini, the room suddenly went pitch black and silent. Breathing heavily, she searched the darkness with her hands, finding nothing but the air that already surrounded her._

_ "H-Hello?" She called out._

_ "Mummy?"_

_ Lights flashed back on, so bright that Hermione was forced to shield her eyes with the back of her hand. When they finally adjusted, she slowly removed her hand from over her eyes and studied the surrounding area, taking notice that she was in a children's park. _

_When she took a better look around, she noticed a little boy standing about ten feet from her, a huge smile on his face as he stared at her. He looked so familiar…as if she had met him somewhere before. As if he was a part of her…_

_"Felix?" Hermione questioned, the name coming to her tongue without having to think twice. She smiled at her son with the same smile that he showed her. Getting down on her knees, Hermione held her arms out for her son to give her a hug. As he ran at her, a sudden flash of green light filled the park, forcing Hermione to shield her eyes again. Slowly she removed her hands only to see her son sprawled out in front of her… . _

_"He's dead… just like Draco." Hermione's hair whipped the side of her face as she jumped to her feet and turned around towards the voice. Standing in front of her, yet again, was Blaise a smirk plastered on his face. _

_"They're both dead," he spat. _

_"You're a MONSTER!" Hermione screamed, tears pouring from her eyes once more. "How could you do that!? How could you kill the two most important people in my life?!" With her hands outstretched, she charged at him, and just before she could wrap her hands around his throat, her world turned black for the second time…_

_ Lights switched back on quickly and Hermione found herself in a courtroom. She looked around the room and the first thing that caught her eye was a toad, croaking away to a man who stood in front of it; a Death Eater's robe was thrown over the man's shoulder. When the toad finished croaking, the Death Eater turned to face the crowd which, Hermione realized, was only made up of Blaise, his mum, Pansy, and Theo. _

_"Ms. Hermione Granger has been accused and found guilty for the murders of Mr. Draco Malfoy and Felix Malfoy –"_

_"What!?" Hermione interrupted the Death Eater, yelling in shock and bewilderment. "But he killed them!" She quickly pointed the finger at Blaise. _

_"Liar!" Pansy yelled back. "She killed them both."_

_ "We saw it with our own eyes," Theo added._

_The toad started croaking again and the room fell silent. When it stopped, the Death Eater spoke again. "Ms. Granger's punishment will be to spend eternity locked in Zabini Manor. She will never get to see her friends again and has to give her hand in marriage to Mr. Blaise Zabini."_

_"No! Never! You can't make me!" She moved to sprint out of the courtroom, but suddenly somebody grabbed her around the arm and started to shake her. "No, I won't! Let me go!"_

"Wake up you stupid girl!" Within seconds, the courtroom disappeared from around her and Hermione found herself lying in a bed and staring up at Zabini. "Bloody hell, if everybody wasn't already awake, you would have woken the whole manor."

Hermione didn't respond. She glanced at her arm, noticing that Blaise still had hold of it from when he had attempted to wake her from her nightmare. She quickly sat up and yanked it from his grip.

Running a hand through her hair she glanced around the room, determined to not look at the man who had caused her to have the worst and most restless night in her entire life.

"What time is it?" She asked as she wiped the tear stains from under her eyes. The dream may not have been real, but the tears certainly were.

"A little after nine," Blaise said, standing up from the side of Hermione's bed and crossing his arms over his chest. He looked at her. "What were you dreaming about?"

"It wasn't a dream, it was a nightmare – several of them," Hermione said as she glared at Blaise. "And it's really none of your business what they were about."

"If my _wife_ is having nightmares then she should tell me so I can help her," Blaise said through a clenched jaw, reaching out to place a hand on Hermione's shoulder.

Hermione instantly jumped to the side at the sign of his touch. "Don't touch me," she snapped, instantly knowing that it was a mistake to pull away from him as she saw the little bit of sympathy disappear from his face and turn into rage.

"Get out of bed," Blaise spat back. "There are people here who have come to have breakfast with us and welcome you here, so I'm not going to have you skipping out on it."

"What people?"

"Friends..."

Hermione laughed. "You mean _your_ friends?"

"They're all you have besides me, so you better get used to them."

"Well I never will," Hermione said, crossing her arms over her chest in a stubborn manner. "Just like how I'll never join _you_ or _your friends_ for breakfast."

Blaise laughed this time and, before Hermione knew what was happening, had her pinned to the bed, one hand holding on to her wrists above her head as his other held her chin so she was forced to look at him. He wasn't hurting her, just holding her hard enough to keep her pinned.

"Listen to me closely Granger," He said in a whisper. "You may think that you're smarter than me, and you also might think that you're going to be able to do whatever you want in this marriage but, here's a news flash for you darling, you're wrong…" Blaise paused for a second, allowing the information to sink in. "You _will_ be obedient and loyal to me – whether you like it or not."

"And what are you going to do if I don't?" Hermione whispered back. "Kill my child?"

"Don't get sarcastic with me," Blaise warned.

"I'll be as sarcastic as I want and there's nothing you can do about it," Hermione spat back. "You've already taken away everything that I love."

"I can take away any of the freedom you have left in this house with a snap of my fingers, Granger," Blaise smirked at her, before they both shot each other a glare. "Don't do what I say and anything that has happened in the past seem like a walk in the park."

Hermione frowned. "What more could you possibly do to me?"

"Get downstairs in five minutes or the promise of sharing my bed with you starts tonight instead," He sent her one more glare before getting off her and approaching the door. As he pulled it open, he turned back to Hermione. "Remember: Five minutes." The door slammed behind him.

When Hermione could no longer hear him she let out a breath, that she didn't even know she was holding in, and sat up. She glared at the spot Blaise had previously occupied. She really didn't want to join Blaise and everyone else who was downstairs; in fact it was the very last thing she wanted to do, but Hermione knew she had no choice. The way Blaise just treated her was only proof that he could make her do whatever he wanted – even force her to sleep with him. And sharing a bed with the Slytherin was the one thing she was dreading more than anything else… even breakfast.

* * *

"Well, if it isn't Mrs. Hermione Zabini, my daughter in law," Hermione glanced over at Blaise's mum as she spoke. Hermione had only just descended the stairs and didn't like who the guests were already. "So, tell me Hermione, did you sleep well."

"No," Hermione answered back, not caring how rude she was sounding. "And I would prefer if you would call me Granger," she said as she took a seat at the breakfast table as far away from Blaise as she could possibly be.

Blaise's mum just smiled back at Hermione. "Well, seeing as you're now my daughter in law, I would prefer to call you Hermione."

Hermione just rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest as she turned to glance at the other guests that had joined them for breakfast. "Hello Parkinson, Nott," the brunette greeted in the most unfriendly tone she could muster.

Pansy smirked at Hermione's tone and glanced over at Nott to see him doing the same. "We thought you wouldn't grace us with your presence this morning, Mudblood," Pansy said, flipping a piece of hair out of her face.

"I wasn't _going_ to," Hermione said under her breath, shooting Blaise a glare.

"Well, we're happy you did," Blaise's mum said, obviously hearing the comment Hermione made. "I'm Eugenie, by the way, Eugenie Zabini. But you, Hermione, can call me mum."

"I think I prefer Mrs. Zabini." Hermione snapped.

"Nonsense, dear," Mrs Zabini said with a smile. Hermione couldn't help but wonder if Blaise's mum was actually nice or if all of this was just simply an act. "You should call me mum, especially since I'm your mother in law now." Hermione glanced over at Blaise to see him smirking back at her. "After such a beautiful wedding, there's really no need to be so formal with each other."

"Well I wouldn't know of any _beautiful_ wedding," Hermione turned back to Eugenie as she spoke. "I was too busy being placed under the Imperius Curse to remember anything."

"There's no need to lie anymore, Mudblood," Pansy said, taking a sip of her tea and glancing at her nails. "Draco isn't around to hear you speak about what _really_ happened between you and Blaise."

As Hermione glared at Pansy, she couldn't help but realize, even though she hated the Slytherin, she was rather pretty. She had black hair, almost the same colour as Harry's, bright blue eyes, which stood out against the darkness of the room, and the usual pale skin that most Slytherins seemed to share. Hermione guessed it was due to the fact that half their life was spent in the dungeons of Hogwarts.

"You're too nice Pansy," Theodore Nott said, glancing over at the female Slytherin. "Even if our little mudblood here did speak about the marriage between her and Blaise in front of Draco, the little prick that he is, he would be too bloody stupid to even realize what was going on."

"Draco is not a prick and he's not stupid!" Hermione said through her teeth.

"I, unfortunately, agree with the Mudblood," Pansy said. "Although he would have had to be pretty foolish to knock up a buck tooth Gryffindor like her, he's still no fool." Hermione looked at Pansy curiously, wondering what she was playing at and when the insult would come in.

Blaise laughed. "I guess we'll have to see who's right once the bastard is born," He looked over at Hermione and smirked, raising his eyebrows in a challenge. "We all know that my wife is smart, despite the choices she has made in the past, but the baby just might come out slightly retarded, no thanks to Malfoy."

"Take that back!" Hermione said, getting ready to stand up.

"You know it doesn't really matter Blaise," Pansy said, taking yet another sip of her tea. "With your little Mudblood out of the way, I'll soon be back in Draco's arms. But don't worry, I'm sure I'll still have time for both of you boys." Pansy said, glancing between Theo and Blaise and giving them a seductive smile.

Hermione laughed at this. "Draco will never go back to you."

"And yet, ironically enough, you said the same thing about Blaise," Theo said, eyes locked on Hermione.

"I didn't go back to Zabini, and you know it. You all do."

"I think some of Malfoy's stupidity has rubbed off on your wife, Zabini," Theo said, now glancing over at Blaise.

"Draco is not stupid!" Hermione was now on her feet.

"Perhaps you are right, Theodore." Eugenie said. "I mean, the girl can hardly remember her wedding."

"Because I was cursed!" Hermione yelled, fist clenched at her side, finding herself now on the verge of tears.

"Hermione, take a seat." Blaise said, glaring at Hermione.

"No!" She yelled, stomping her feet in protest. "I am through listening to you and all this bullshit you're trying to feed me! You're over here with your fake presence, pretending to be all nice to me to try and get me to be on your side, meanwhile throwing cruel remarks that show what kind of evil person you really are!" Hermione said as she faced Eugenie, before rounding on Theo. "And you. You're so obsessed with holding onto what happened between you and Draco in the past that you don't even realize what kind of person you are becoming! You're constantly insulting someone at every turn like you get enjoyment from it – which I don't doubt you do – without thinking of the consequences, and how it's effecting other people." Finally she turned on Pansy. "I don't even know where to start with you," Hermione hissed, her voice dropping to a deadly whisper. "You're so into your looks, too busy throwing yourself at every man you lay your eyes on, that you don't even realize how big of a whore you are."

Pansy was now on her feet, rounding the table and approaching Hermione. It was obvious she didn't like being called a whore. "Is that so?" She asked.

"Yes," Hermione said through her teeth. "News flash Parkinson! Draco doesn't like whores, and he especially – doesn't – like – you."

Pansy smirked back at Hermione, a small laugh escaping from behind her lips. "News flash for you Mudblood, whether Draco likes me or not, I'll have him under my spell in no time. You see, no guy can refuse me. It's kind of a curse, I guess you could call it, but I always seem to attract stupid blond boys. And those stupid blond boys tend to have an act for knocking up bushy haired, bucked toothed, ugly, Mudblood Gryffindor's who, themselves, can't even hold onto the man that got them pregnant in the first place. Face it, Granger, your child's going to be born a bastard."

Hermione's blood boiled and before the brunette witch could talk sense into herself, she did the one thing she had wanted to do since she was a first year: She brought her hand up and slapped Pansy.

"How dare you!" the other witch yelled back, getting ready to strike herself. Just as she was about to slap Hermione back, Blaise stepped in, grabbing Pansy's hand and pushing her to the side.

Hermione didn't stay to watch. She sprinted up the main stairway, listening to Blaise's outraged yells at Pansy as she ran. "You can't hurt her!" Hermione heard Blaise yell. "If anything happens to her and that baby I lose her for good! You heard Umbridge!"

Hermione didn't hear Pansy's reply. She was too busy running… though from what she didn't know. She knew none of them were chasing after her, but she continued to run. She wanted to get away – to anywhere – to somewhere where she could feel safe and loved again. But as she ran, Hermione knew that there wasn't any place like this. She could only feel that with Draco, and he wasn't here for her. She used to be able to get that in her dreams at night, but those now seemed to be haunted with the memory of Blaise. She had no sanctuary in her life… not anymore.

When Hermione felt her chest closing in on her, her breaths now uncontrollable, she stopped running. Bent over, her hands on her knees, she caught her breath. Looking up, a sudden horror seemed to wash over her. Blaise had given her a tour of the house, and although she tried to remember as most of it as she could, she couldn't remember this part of the house for the life of her. Deciding that she wasn't going to get anywhere by just standing here and panicking, Hermione decided to walk and find her way back to her room.

She walked on for about fifteen minutes, biting her lower lip as she looked around the hallways, hoping to Merlin that she would recognize something. Just when she was about to lose all hope in ever finding her way back to her room, she spotted a door, one that looked identical to the one which led into her room. Letting out a sigh of relief, she approached it. Gripping the handle she turned it and pushed the door open, but what stood before her was not her room.

Her mouth fell open in shock at what was before her eyes. There was no furniture in the room and from the little bit of space that Hermione could see, it looked like the walls were painted a light champagne colour. It was what covered the walls which had grabbed Hermione's attention. Closing the door behind her, Hermione entered the room, and surveyed the sight before her.

Nearly every inch of the room was covered in pictures and newspaper clippings of her. Eyes wide and mouth still open in shock, she walked the perimeter of the room, her hand moving along all the pictures and articles as she walked past. She couldn't believe her eyes. It seemed Blaise had been following her closely, for years even. All around the walls were pictures of her and all her friends. There were pictures of her standing next to Harry, ones of her helping Ron de-gnome the garden back at The Burrow, and even pictures of her and Draco, all on the dates they had before Draco even asked her out.

Along with the pictures of her and Draco, Hermione even found an article, one dated all the way back to 2001, the year her and Draco first started to date. She shook her head in disbelief as she continued to walk the walls. When she returned back to the doorway, and was about to leave the room, one more article caught her eye. She licked her lips nervously before reading. It was an article announcing her engagement to Draco and how it would change the face of the Wizarding world.

"Oh my god," Hermione said under her breath, taking a step back from the wall and studying it all over again, still not believing what she was seeing. "He's been stalking me for years…"

She didn't want to waste anymore time. Pushing through the door, she sprinted back down the hall, repeating all the ways she turned so she could find her way back. Blaise Zabini had been stalking her for years, probably since she broke up with him, and Hermione knew that there was no way this was legal. All she would have to do was get pictures of the room, get evidence of how close of an eye he kept on her, get anything, and then she could have the marriage annulled. With her heart suddenly filled with a sort of joy at the thought of her getting out of here and being back in Draco's arms, she managed to find her way back to her room.

Pushing the door open, she ran into her suitcase and dug deep, pulling out the old Polaroid camera she had. Grabbing a hold onto it tightly, she sprinted from the room, heading back in the direction that she had just come. "Right, left, left, right, straight…" Hermione repeated under her breath.

Her heart gave a sudden leap when she noticed the door. Grasping onto the handle, she flung the door open, and in her excitement, snapped a picture straight away. But her heart suddenly fell, the same feeling of depression sinking back into her that had been with her since the moment she arrived at Zabini Manor. Hanging her head low, she pulled the door handle back open and left the room, her camera in her right hand. In her left hand, she held onto the picture she had taken the moment she had entered the room. Glancing down at it one more time, Hermione threw it to the ground.

The picture landed on the ground face up, showing anybody who looked that the room, which was covered in pictures and articles of her only ten minutes ago, now sat as nothing but a blank champagne coloured room. There was still no furniture, just like before, but this time there was also no evidence that Blaise Zabini had been stalking her for years.

* * *

Hermione woke up the next morning to the sun shining in her eyes. Checking the clock on her nightstand, she realized it was close to ten. Her stomach growled in protest to not being fed in a while, so Hermione threw her legs over the bed and quickly got changed. Judging by the fact that Blaise hadn't come to wake her up, she guessed there wasn't any guests in the house at the present time.

Pushing her bedroom door open, Hermione made her way downstairs. As she entered the dining room, she found Blaise sitting at the head of the table, the Daily Prophet in his hands. Licking her lips, Hermione took a seat at the table and watched as a house elf approached her with her breakfast.

"Thank you," She said in a soft voice as the elf placed her meal in front of her.

The elf nodded in response, then walked back into the kitchen. Just as Hermione took a bite of her eggs, Blaise spoke. "There's no need to be nice to the house elves," He said without taking his eyes off his paper. "I would actually prefer if you didn't."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Hermione said as she took a sip of her tea that sat on the table. "Because whether you like it or not, I will be nice to those house elves."

"Is that so?" Blaise said, lowering his paper to smirk at Hermione.

"Yes," Hermione said without looking at him. "I have been since I was fourteen, and I don't intend on stopping anytime soon. So get used to it."

"Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning," Blaise snapped under his breath, turning back to his paper.

"In the wrong house is more like it," Hermione muttered in reply.

"No need to worry though, my dear," Blaise said, obviously not hearing Hermione's comment.

"Why's that?" She questioned, finally looking at him, knowing that if he was telling her not to worry, she would end up worrying.

"Because come tomorrow night, you'll be sleeping in my bed with me," He looked over at Hermione, smirking at her seductively. "And I'll make _sure_ you don't wake up on the wrong side of the bed."

Hermione scoffed, pushing her chair back from the table. "You're disgusting," She said, turning her back on Blaise and starting to walk away. "I'll never sleep with you."

Blaise just laughed, turning back to his paper as Hermione walked away, abandoning her half eaten breakfast. "That's what you think, my dear, that's what you think…"

* * *

Hermione spent the rest of the day in her room, calling house elves to bring her meals. She knew that when it came down to it, she would really have no choice but to share a bed with Blaise. She wouldn't sleep with him if she could prevent it, but sharing a bed she knew was something she couldn't avoid. And knowing that by tomorrow night, she would be in nothing short of a nightmare, she wanted to spend the rest of the day as far away from Blaise as possible.

Of course, he still came to taunt her. It was what he did best. He would show up at her door around every hour, saying he was there to check up on here, but Hermione knew he was only there to gloat about how she would be with him tomorrow, counting down the hours every time he came back. At around nine, he came into her room for one last time, saying goodnight and that he would see her in the morning, winking at her in the process. Hermione scoffed, rolling her eyes and throwing the covers over her head, hoping for a sleep that wasn't full of nightmares. Just as she was about to doze off, she heard a tapping coming from her window.

Looking up, she saw a barn own sitting on the window ledge, looking up at her. Curious as to who would be owling her, Hermione got out of bed and allowed the owl into her room. He flew over towards her bed, landing on one of the posts and held out his leg. Hermione approached it, patting its head lightly before untying the note. She watched as the owl flew out the window, shutting it after it was far gone, and then began to open up the letter that was addressed to her.

She couldn't help but smile as she read the letter.

_ Dear Ms. Hermione J. Granger_

_ We are notifying you now that your Healer, Healer Ashton, has booked an appointment for you two weeks from today. You are expected to arrive at eleven  
__a.m. sharp and we ask that the father, Mr. Draco Malfoy, be present during this appointment as well. _

_ Hoping you and your baby are well,_

_ St. Mungo's Maternity Ward_

Hermione hugged the letter to her chest and she fell back into her bed. She only had two weeks, two weeks of living hell, but only two weeks at that, until she would finally get to see Draco again. Sure, come tomorrow, she would have to share a bed with Zabini, but this seemed like nothing now. Hermione felt like she could push through anything, because at least now she had hope. At least now she had something to look forward to.

With a sigh, she closed her eyes and allowed sleep to take her for the night, a small light finally becoming lit at the end of a very, very dark tunnel.

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_Review please :D_


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